Heart of the Ronin (The Ronin Trilogy 1)

One

"Be true to the thought of the moment and avoid distraction. Other than continuing to exert yourself, enter into nothing else, but go to the extent of living single thought by single thought."

--Hagakure

Ken'ishi's extended blade cast a ribbon of morning sunlight onto the ground at his feet. He looked down the curved edge of his upturned blade at the man who wanted to kill him. Takenaga's eyes narrowed as he studied Ken'ishi's unusual stance and unusual blade with its antique-style curvature. Silver Crane's hilt felt good in his hands, like a part of him. He braced his feet wide apart and dug his worn wooden sandals deeper into the dirt of the road, to ensure they would not slip. His body faced to the side, and he gripped the hilt near his chin, looking over his left shoulder toward his enemy.

The two men stood with their blades extended between them like lethal shards of ice glimmering in the noonday sun. Takenaga's hateful eyes blazed with cold ferocity, boring into him like awls.

Ken'ishi was accustomed to being shunned. He was a warrior without a master, and thus a person outside normal society, someone to be feared and distrusted, but he still did not understand the vehemence of Takenaga's enmity toward him.

The older man's lips tightened. "Coward! You fear death!"

Ken'ishi's voice was calm, slow and even. "No, I merely wish to leave this village with its constable still alive."

Takenaga changed to the lower stance, dropping the point of his blade toward Ken'ishi's feet, testing, looking for a reaction.

Akao stood hunched, a few paces away, his rust-red mane standing on end, his tail down against his legs. A low, uneasy growl emanated from between his bared teeth, and his ears lay flat against his head.

But Ken'ishi was no longer aware of the dog, only his enemy. He did not move, standing still as a crane in a pool of water untouched by the wind. The flaring anger he had felt only moments ago was gone, subsumed by a strange wonder. Would he still live ten heartbeats from now? He had been in danger before, but never fought a real duel against a single, well-trained opponent. He had wiggled his way out of scrapes with clumsy town guards, faced down drunken bullies, and avoided angry innkeepers, but never a situation where someone's death was assured. He must kill this man. Merely wounding him would not be sufficient to protect Ken'ishi's own life. He saw in Takenaga's eyes that the man would not rest until Ken'ishi was dead. Did he have it within him to kill?

He reached for the nothingness, shifting his awareness to the Now, the instant, forgetting the before and the after. His blade hung motionless in the air before him. His eyes did not move; he was focused on a point several paces behind his opponent, but his awareness encompassed the smallest of Takenaga's movements; the shift of the man's weight in preparation to strike, his grip on the hilt of his katana, the flex of the muscles in his forearms, and the inevitable explosion of movement.
* * * *

Earlier that morning, before Ken'ishi even saw the village, the scent of smoke and onions wafting between the trees of the surrounding forest had sent his empty stomach into an uproar. His right hand absently massaged his empty coin pouch. Because he was ronin, he rarely found anyone willing to give him a job as even a common laborer. He was outside of society because he did not have a master, lower in some respects than even a whore or a merchant. There were no wars these days, not since the Minamoto clan had seized power away from the Emperor fifty years before. Ken'ishi could hardly conceive of such a vast gulf of time, of an era when all warriors had masters and respect. He had lived perhaps seventeen years--he did not know for certain--and fifty years was like a dozen lifetimes to him. Besides, he knew practically nothing of politics anyway. These days, lone warriors often resorted to robbery to support themselves. His teacher had taught him how to survive and how to use the sword at his hip, and little else about the world of men.

But there was something else his teacher had taught him, something he could do that other men could not.

Akao lifted his nose, taking in the scent, and spoke. "Smells like a village," the dog said. "Give us some food?" A whimper of hunger escaped the dog's throat.

Ken'ishi said, "Or maybe they'll beat us with sticks. Remember the last time?" From the first day they had met, Akao had always thought with this belly.

"Beat us with sticks and we ran away."

"Yes, we were lucky that time. The kami favored us."

"Always hate us."

"That's why we trust only each other."

"Yes, trust," Akao said, his tail wagging, his tongue lolling.

Until he had left his teacher and met his foster parents, Ken'ishi had thought everyone could speak to animals, and he remembered the sudden sensation of alienation when he found they could not, and the suspicion in their eyes when they found that he could.

The path led down the rocky slope straight into the village. Through small gaps in the thick canopy, Ken'ishi saw the terraced patchwork of fields in the valley, with farmers cultivating their spring vegetables. He could not remember the last time he had eaten a hot meal. The earthy taste of the wild roots he had dug up earlier this morning lingered on his tongue, but did little now except fan the fire of his hunger. Akao usually sustained himself with mice and other small creatures, but Ken'ishi could not share those meals. There was too little meat on them, and he could not bring himself to eat them whole. Once, the dog had been lucky enough to catch a rabbit, and they had shared it that night.

He hoped the peasants would still have some rice, since the winter stores of food were often depleted by this time of year. But this land was new to him, different, warmer than the northern island that raised him. Cherry trees here were already in bloom, earlier than in the north. The last of his coins had purchased his sea crossing a few days ago, and he walked this unfamiliar land with nothing. He had no idea what to expect here; but his feet had no wish to remain still. Hitching up the coarse rope supporting his worn, tattered trousers and adjusting his dusty traveling pack on his shoulders, Ken'ishi rested a hand on his father's sword, Silver Crane, as he resumed his trek down the mountainside.

Then he stopped as a strange tingling shot through his palm, lifting his hand from the silver pommel shaped like the head of a crane. He had never felt such a sensation before. Had he imagined it? He did not think so. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled. Silver Crane rested quietly in its scabbard. Ken'ishi gripped the hilt lightly, feeling the cool silver fittings and the roughness of the ray-skin grip. A strange thought came to him, the sudden feeling that he would have to use the sword today. While he had never used it to kill, he did not doubt that Silver Crane had been used to kill in the past, many, many times.

He resumed walking again, going more slowly now. As he walked, he listened to two sparrows hidden in the budding branches above. From the tone of the little birds' voices, he knew they were berating each other. Small birds were so ill tempered sometimes. The understanding of their speech danced around his awareness, in sight but out of grasp. The birds spoke a strange, unfamiliar dialect, just like the people of this land, and he found understanding difficult at times.

The village came into view as he strode down the steep mountain path. It was larger than he expected, nestled between two forested mountainsides and straddling a narrow, rocky stream. He hoped he could find an inn or a teahouse that would offer a bowl of rice to an itinerant warrior. He had no money, but he was loath to resort to intimidation or thievery, even though he was practically starving.

As he drew nearer, Ken'ishi noticed several peasants in the fields had stopped working to watch him. He saw little of their faces under their broad straw hats. The small hairs on the back of his neck rose again. Surely he had little to fear from untrained farmers. The feeling of uneasiness spread down his spine, dredging the words of his teacher from the depths of his memory: "If your sense of danger alerts you, heed it. This is how the kami speak to us. If the kami favor you, they will help you in the face of harm." Nevertheless, he thrust the hilt of the Silver Crane a bit further forward and added a bit of swagger to his step. Akao's senses were sharp as well, nearly always sharper than his, and he trusted the dog to warn him of any danger.

The villagers on the main thoroughfare did not appear threatening. They bowed politely, offering greetings as he passed, going about their own business. Everyone appeared to be well fed and adequately clothed. In all, this seemed a prosperous village. He was suddenly conscious of the shabbiness of his own rough-woven, hemp clothes, little more than sackcloth. Most of these villagers wore brightly dyed linen. He smiled to himself, realizing he must be a fearsome sight indeed, unshaven, hair tied into an unruly shock, bow and quiver within easy reach, and the long, curved sword with its well-worn hilt and scabbard hanging from his rope belt. Perhaps he could use that to his advantage.

As he strode into the center of the village, he stopped and looked around.

The nearby villagers slowed their activities to better observe the stranger. A man appeared from the large, central house, shuffling toward Ken'ishi. The man's face was round and plump, circled by wisps of graying hair. He moved with a peculiar limp, and one shoulder sagged lower than the other. His clothes were fine and crisp and brightly patterned, as if he had never worn them to do a day's labor.

The man bowed obsequiously. His lips were strangely soft and wet as he spoke. "I am Yohachi, sir, the headman of this village. A lovely morning, sir, isn't it?" His words were borne on a spray of distasteful, whuffling wetness, but at least he spoke in a dialect that the young warrior understood. The headman glanced uneasily at the dog, and the dog returned the stare, eyes narrowed with suspicion.

Ken'ishi bowed in return. "Yes, fine weather today." He drank in the morning air, turning his body so that his sword was clearly visible.

"We are honored to have a powerful man such as you paying a visit to our humble village. Where are you bound for?"

"Don't fear. I won't be staying long. Only long enough to find something to eat."

The man hesitated for only an instant. "Of course, of course! I was being rude! Please excuse me! Come along. Come to my house. My wife will make you something. And we have tea. Good tea!"

Ken'ishi glanced at Akao, and the dog grinned hopefully.

But as the headman turned and led him toward the large house, Ken'ishi thought he spied Yohachi making an almost imperceptible gesture at a boy watching them. The boy backed away between two houses and disappeared.

Uneasiness fluttered in his belly. That boy could be bringing a large village of angry farmers down upon him, but Ken'ishi had already executed his strike and now must follow it through.

Ken'ishi and Akao followed Yohachi through the front gate of his home, past the modest garden, and into the house. As was his custom, Akao sat down outside the door, where he would wait until his friend came out. Akao gave Ken'ishi a glance that said, "Bring me something this time."

Yohachi slid the door closed. "May I take your pack, sir?"

"I'll keep it with me. No need to trouble yourself."

The plump little man bowed again, perhaps a bit too low and for too long, then seated him in the main room and disappeared into the kitchen. Ken'ishi shrugged off his pack and untied his sword, placing it beside him on his left. All around him, he sensed small movements and voices throughout the house; hidden whispers and stealthy footsteps. Children? Servants?

Yohachi returned carrying a steaming bowl. Ken'ishi's nostrils flared at the scent. He took the bowl, but not too eagerly, and found it filled with hot, seasoned rice and green onions. His mouth burst with water as he readied the chopsticks and lifted the bowl to his lips. Barely taking the time to blow the steam off, he shoveled rice into his maw.

"If I am not being too rude, may I ask your name, sir?"

Past another huge mouthful of rice, the samurai answered, "Ken'ishi."

Yohachi shifted uncomfortably on the floor. "Where do you come from?"

Ken'ishi did not answer, taking another large mouthful instead. The savory taste of the seasonings and onions were more satisfying than any meal he could remember.

Yohachi nodded past the lack of response. "Where do you travel?"

"Wherever my expertise can be of use."

"Ah, a ronin, then. You have no one to serve."

Ken'ishi said nothing, and Yohachi fidgeted and squirmed even more.

"You have seen anything unusual on the road? We have heard tales of bandits in the area. Rumor says the bandits are led by an oni."

Ken'ishi raised an eyebrow. "An oni?"

"So they say."

"I haven't seen any bandits in these parts."

"Fortunate for you, then. Last month they raided a village in the next province. They stole almost all of the winter stores. The village has no seed rice for this year."

"That's unlucky. Has anyone given them food or seed rice?"

"I do not know. The story I heard only told of the demon." Yohachi licked his lips and looked away for a moment, then back. "An interesting sword you have there."

"What does a village headman know of swords?"

"Consider it a personal interest. It is of exceptional quality, is it not? And such a fine scabbard! It is very old, yes?"

Ken'ishi looked at the weapon he knew so well. The scabbard was not fine at all. It was battered and stained. The once-beautiful cranes, inlaid in mother-of-pearl flying through silver moonlight, were worn and chipped, and the dark lacquer was cracked, revealing the wood beneath. Some of the silver fittings were tarnished. "It is. It was my father's."

"What is your family name?"

Instead of answering, Ken'ishi took another mouthful of rice.

The front door suddenly whisked open, and a large shadow fell over them. Yohachi bowed low, putting his forehead to the floor, and Ken'ishi put down the half-empty bowl. The newcomer shed his sandals and strode into the room, towering over the two men seated on the floor. Ken'ishi sucked bits of rice from his teeth as he appraised how the man carried his weight. Tall and built like a tree trunk, with thick, callused hands. The sleeves of his kimono were tied back to ensure freedom of movement. The hilt of his sword was well worn and stained with use. A vivid white scar ran across one cheek, over the bridge of his blunt nose, and into his eyebrow, perpetually twisting his features.

The man's voice was deep and accustomed to command. "I am Nishimuta no Takenaga. This is my village. What is your business here?"

Ken'ishi paused a moment before answering. "I am Ken'ishi," he said, bowing. "My business is just a bit of food, lord." He fixed his gaze in the distance, allowing his awareness to encompass all that lay within his peripheral vision, studying the towering constable without looking directly at him.

"Ronin are not welcome in my town," Takenaga said, rubbing the scar running across his nose. "I don't like them, and there are too many rough men around here."

"I mean to cause no trouble."

"So you say. But ronin always cause trouble."

Ken'ishi glanced purposefully at Yohachi. The moist smirk on the headman's lips melted away as he realized that he sat well within reach of a sword-stroke.

"Get up!"

Ken'ishi glanced again at the headman, who trembled at the constable's words.

"I must bow to Takenaga-sama's wishes," Yohachi said, using "sama" in deference to the other man's superior status.

Ken'ishi scrutinized the samurai one more time. Takenaga moved with the surety and grace of a seasoned soldier. Even if Ken'ishi somehow managed to kill Takenaga, he would have to fight his way out of this village. He was still hungry, but its edge had been dulled. Losing his life was not worth half a bowl of rice. He regretted not having anything to give Akao.

He stood, and Takenaga stepped back, hand resting on the hilt of his sword. With deliberate slowness, Ken'ishi picked up his traveling pack with his left hand and his weapon with his right, a gesture meant to allow Takenaga the advantage, since now Ken'ishi could not draw his weapon without changing hands.

"Yohachi, my thanks for the rice. You are a generous man," he said as he bowed again. Then, he strode past Takenaga toward the door, slipping into his sandals as he stepped outside.

Ken'ishi did not look back as he walked into the street and headed for the edge of the village. Akao fell in beside him, his eyes scanning for threats. No doubt he had heard the entire exchange, but he did not understand human speech very well. Ken'ishi was aware of Takenaga escorting him ten paces behind, and his anger at the insult built within him like a thundercloud, roiling taller and thicker, like a towering black pillar of lightning. Then a small stone zipped past his shoulder from behind and bounced in the dirt, doubtless thrown by one of the young boys he had seen hiding between two houses. He did not turn, but held his jaw like an iron billet. Akao turned and barked a challenge.

Takenaga said, "You should keep your dog quiet, ronin scum. Or perhaps his skin will make a nice drum."

"He speaks as he chooses," Ken'ishi said, "and save your threats."

When they passed beyond the boundaries of the village and the road lay open before him, Ken'ishi suddenly dropped his pack and spun, switching his sheathed sword to his left hand, loosening the blade with his thumb. The arrogant smile on Takenaga's lips drew into a taut line, and he stopped, hand on his hilt poised to draw.

Takenaga said, "You would be wise to keep walking."

Ken'ishi's anger crackled inside. "You would have been wise to leave us alone. I am too young to be wise. And my honor would still be stained."

"Ronin scum like you know nothing of honor," Takenaga growled. The vivid white scar twisted his features into a sneer.

The young man's belly filled with fresh heat. "I am not ronin by choice. My family was slain by treacherous, hateful men, much like you."

The man stiffened, and his arrogant gaze shifted to cold calculation.

Ken'ishi continued, "I have dreamed of my father's murderers, and they look much like you. He would not stand for the treatment you have shown me. No better than a dog!"

"I would have fed a dog."

Ken'ishi whipped Silver Crane free of its scabbard, an action Takenaga followed a split heartbeat later. Ken'ishi tossed the scabbard aside and said, "If you choose, you can watch the sunset today. Your defeat will satisfy me, but your death is not necessary." Silver Crane was warm in his hands. He hardly felt its weight. It was an extension of his body, like a long, lethal limb.

"One fewer ronin will make the sunset brighter, after all. I've killed ten men twice your age, stripling! And three others have no hands, masterless scum wandering the countryside begging for scraps! All better men than you."

Ken'ishi raised his sword, assuming the stance taught him by his old teacher, legs braced apart, body turned sideways, sword blade upturned with the point aiming for his enemy's throat. His teacher had told him this was a master stance, unusable by anyone without the highest degree of skill. And it gave Takenaga pause.

Takenaga's sword was held straight out before him, the point aimed at Ken'ishi's throat.

Ken'ishi allowed his anger to seep away, his jaw loosening, his shoulders relaxing, his muscles motionless. The immediate past melted away as well, leaving him in the present, the moment, the instants of one moment after another. The two men faced each other, and death was in the air.
* * * *

Takenaga leaped forward, his blade flying up, then slashing downward in a stroke meant to sever at least one of his opponent's hands. Ken'ishi's small movements rippled like the water of a suddenly disturbed pool as the crane struck its prey, allowing the enemy's stroke to pass him by in the timeless instants between heartbeats. Only when Takenaga's missed stroke made a sufficient opening did Ken'ishi move, and Silver Crane flicked outward like the crescent of a crane's beak.

Takenaga grunted and stumbled backward, clutching at his throat. Bright, wet crimson pumped between his fingers. His eyes bulged with rage and surprise, and his scar blazed white across his blunt features. He struck at Ken'ishi again, but his swing was weak and off-target. Deflecting it with ease, Ken'ishi watched as the other man fell backwards on the dirt path, gasping through the blood gushing from his mouth and nose.

Ken'ishi stared at the bright blood as it spurted into the air, spreading across the dirt path, darkening the soil. Takenaga's body fought to breathe, to live, even as the realization dawned in the man's eyes that his life was finished. With a terrible sickness in his belly, Ken'ishi watched the light in the constable's eyes diminish like a starving candle.

Ken'ishi forced himself to look away from the moment of death. He noticed that dozens of villagers had watched the confrontation. They stared at him, their eyes wide. Some ran for their homes. He wiped the blood from the tip of his weapon, then, with slow deliberation, sheathed it and tied the scabbard to his belt.

Yohachi thrust himself through the crowd. The headman's weak face contorted, and he picked up a large stone and threw it at Ken'ishi. "Get out of here, criminal!" he shrieked.

The stone fell short, but other villagers followed his example, taking up more stones and the cry of, "Criminal! Criminal!"

A fist-sized stone struck Ken'ishi in the chest, shoving him back a step, driving the breath out of him. Ducking another hail of stones, he leaped to the fallen corpse, patted for the man's coin purse, snatched it, spun away, grabbed his pack, bow, and quiver, and fled down the road, stones bouncing around him and off his back.
* * * *

As the ronin disappeared into the forest, Yohachi could only watch him go, feeling a mixture of fear, rage, relief, and wonder. Fear at having seen the cold, brutal face of death so closely. Rage at the loss of the village's protector, and Yohachi's carefully cultivated benefactor. Relief that the strange young ronin had fled. And wonder at how Takenaga had been such a formidable warrior, renowned for his swordsmanship, yet the young ronin had slain him almost effortlessly. Takenaga was known for his brutality and his hatred of ronin. Perhaps there was also some relief that Yohachi would never again live in fear of one Takenaga's drunken rages. But Takenaga's penchant for violence was only one of the reasons Yohachi had cultivated the samurai's friendship for so long. He was also an influential vassal of Lord Nishimuta no Jiro. Lord Nishimuta had given Takenaga this village to oversee because it was prosperous, to reward Takenaga for his faithful service, but also because it was several days' travel from Lord Nishimuta's estate, keeping Takenaga's rough demeanor at an acceptable distance.

That young bastard! The nerve of that scurrilous vagabond! He must be dealt with! Yohachi knew that his voice was not one to inspire the villagers to righteous fervor, but he had to do something. He cried out, "Everyone, listen to me! We must capture this ronin and punish him!" He looked at the men standing around him and saw the same range of emotions in their faces that he felt. They were afraid, but also outraged. "Find Takenaga-sama's deputies and bring them here. They must help us. Everyone, gather your weapons quickly. We must chase this ronin down!" Seeing the fear on their faces, he added, "Don't worry about having to fight him. When he sees all of us, he will turn coward and submit. He will not have the courage to face all of us. Now go! Gather your weapons. We must not lose him!"

The villagers dispersed to gather up whatever makeshift weapons they could find, clubs and pitchforks, even a few rusty spears left over from the wars of fifty years before. The three deputies arrived, Taro, Kei, and Shohei. They carried the only weapons Takenaga would allow them, jitte, unsharpened parrying weapons about half the size of a sword with a long straight "blade" and a shorter, parallel prong designed to catch and hold a sword or a spear. The deputies approached the lifeless body of their master, and their faces went slack.

The eldest, Taro, stood over the body. He had always been a good boy, Yohachi thought, and now he looked so shocked and solemn that Yohachi could not imagine what he must be thinking. Takenaga had chosen his deputies from the strongest and most reliable of the village's young men, but he was not a kind man and had often treated them harshly. What must they be feeling now, Yohachi wondered. Shock, anger, sadness, and . . . relief?

While he waited for everyone to gather, Yohachi approached Takenaga's body, staring at the gleaming blade clenched in the dead man's fist. Swords had always fascinated him and had been a favorite topic of conversation between him and Takenaga. The constable had often boasted about the fine quality of his weapon. It was a gift from Lord Nishimuta, made in the new, heavier katana-style, rather than the more delicate antique tachi-style, and it had seen more than a few battles against bandit gangs over the years. Takenaga had never let him touch it, and he had always wanted to feel its heft, to experience the power of a true warrior's weapon. Yohachi had never been a strong man. He had been gravely ill as a child, the long sickness leaving his body weak and twisted, unable to work as hard as others, unable to wield a weapon. His inability had fueled his fascination with the tools of the warrior. Now he knelt down, untied the scabbard from Takenaga's sash, and pulled it out. Then he pried the dead man's fingers from around the well-worn hilt of the katana and picked it up. It felt so heavy. He stared at it in wonder. Then he slid the blade into the scabbard and prepared to thrust the long sword into his sash.

A sudden voice stopped him. "Wait."

Yohachi turned to face the young man standing beside him.

"Are you able to use that, Yohachi?" Taro's voice was heavy with caution. "Takenaga always said that when you put on the swords, you become dead. Are you ready to die?"

Yohachi looked hard into the young man's face. In fact, he had heard Takenaga say those very words, but had never considered their meaning. But he liked the feel of the sleeping steel in his hands. "Takenaga-sama would want someone to use his weapons to avenge his death. This blade will taste that ronin's blood!"

The villagers standing nearby nodded, and a few voiced their agreement. Already Yohachi felt the power of the sword coursing through him. He stood a little straighter. His fingers caressed the silken cord wrappings, the roughness of the ray skin under the cords.

Taro said, his voice hardening. "Do you truly know how to use those? Or do you claim them because you are selfish? I am Takenaga-sama's chief deputy. He has no heirs and no immediate family. I am strong, and I know how to use them. Give the swords to me, and I will see that Takenaga's death is avenged."

Yohachi snorted. "But I am the headman here!"

"Yes, and the village needs you. You must be alive to lead. I ask again, are you ready to die? Because that's what it means to wear those swords. If you are not, Takenaga's shade will know, and he will curse you for a coward."

Yohachi gasped and dropped the sword. It clattered on the ground. He had not thought of that. His greed for the swords had made him forget that Takenaga's spirit was still about, and doubtless angry.

Taro bent to pick it up. "You are a wise man." He thrust the sword into his own sash and tied the cords. The two other deputies stared at him as he bent to retrieve the short sword as well, placing it in his sash alongside the katana.

A mob had gathered around them, but Yohachi could only stare at the face of the heretofore quiet young man. What emotions were churning behind that solemn mask? The determination was evident in his bearing. Taro had meant what he said. He would do everything in his power to find the ronin.

When the crowd looked as if it had grown as large as it would--some forty-odd farmers and villagers and three deputies--Yohachi looked at the faces of his friends and neighbors, people he had known all his life. "That ronin must be punished for what he has done. We will find him and bring him back. Then we will decide what sort of death is best for him!"

Agreement murmured through the mob. "Let us go quickly! He has a head start!" Then Yohachi led them down the road in pursuit of the criminal.
* * * *

Ken'ishi did not stop running until the village was long out of sight in the forest behind him. The sun-dappled road was deserted in both directions. He stopped beside a small roadside shrine, his breath huffing in and out like a smith's bellows. He let his pack, bow, and quiver hang loose in his grip, resting one hand on his knee as he tried to catch his breath, the other hand rubbing the painful bruise on his chest inflicted by the hurled stone.

Akao stopped beside him, his tongue lolling. He looked back down the road toward the village. "Coming." His deep brown eyes, slanted like a fox, searched the road behind them, his pointed red ears erect, his nose lifted into the wind.

Ken'ishi nodded. "How far?"

"Go soon."

"I am weak!" he growled. A swirling, leaden sickness in his belly drowned the remnants of his previous hunger. What would his dead father think of his actions just now? Would he be proud that his son had won the duel? Ashamed at the theft of the man's money? Neither? Both? "I am sorry for my weakness, Father!" he said, choking on his shame. He had fought the duel to defend the honor of his family, then he had soiled it himself just as quickly. For that matter, what would his teacher say? What about his foster parents? He could almost hear his foster mother clicking her tongue at him, as she used to do so often when he made some terrible blunder. Then her disapproval would be followed by some great kindness to show him that his errors were forgiven. Tears of shame trickled down his nose. He missed her kindness now. He missed a friendly face amidst a land full of strangers who did not care if he lived or died. He wanted to throw the money away, but he was so hungry and had been for so long.

His mind reeled as he tried to conceive of some way to atone for his misdeed. Would robbing the dead offend the kami?

"I'm sorry, my friend," he said to Akao. "I couldn't bring you any food."

The dog smiled, then padded closer and nudged Ken'ishi's knee with his nose. "Not hungry now."

Then a new voice piped up, small and high-pitched. "Who's talking down there?"

Ken'ishi looked around. He wiped the sweat from his face with his sleeve, and his gaze stopped on the nearby shrine.

"Who's there?" he said.

No reply.

Inside the shrine was a little statue of one the Seven Bodhisattvas. Had the small stone god spoken to him? He wondered what the shrine's significance might be, why people sometimes built these small structures filled with gods and offerings in the most unusual or out-of-the-way places. There was a wooden placard inside with some writing on it, but he recognized only a few of the characters.

Then he noticed a sparrow sitting on the roof of the shrine, watching him with its small black eyes. "Did you speak to us?" Ken'ishi asked. Perhaps the bird could help him. Sparrows were good fortune.

"I did. You surprised me."

Ken'ishi bowed. "Good day, Mr. Sparrow. I am sorry to have startled you."

It smoothed its ruffled, pale breast feathers and said with some surprise, "Good day to you, big hairy man. How is it that you can speak my tongue?"

"I learned from my teacher."

"I have never heard of a man who could understand birds. Or dogs, for that matter. Do you have any seeds? I am hungry."

It was so difficult to speak to such small birds. Their minds flitted back and forth as if thoughts were branches. "I am sorry," Ken'ishi said. "I don't have any seeds."

"Do you have any stiff grass? I am building a nest for my wife."

"Again, my apologies. I have none." But perhaps he could offer the sparrow something, not only to atone for his earlier misdeed, but also because he could certainly use a bit of good fortune. His hair, tied into ponytail, symbolized his status and his nature as a warrior. "Perhaps I could offer you some of my hair."

"What an excellent idea! An auspicious gift! You are very helpful."

Ken'ishi drew his knife, sliced away a generous lock of hair from his ponytail, and laid it at the sparrow's feet.

The sparrow bowed and said, "Thank you, strange big hairy man. I am in your debt. For your kindness, I think I will repay you with a bit of good fortune."

"Thank you, good bird, but there is no need to repay me. You have helped me to avoid my own despair."

"Too late. The good fortune has already been granted. You will meet it very soon. I hope you use it wisely. Why were you running? Is something chasing you?"

"No," Ken'ishi said, "I run from myself."

"What a silly thing to say! If you run from yourself, you are caught before you raise a wing! Have you any seeds?"

"No, kind bird. I'm sorry. What lies further down this road?"

"My nest is here! What lies down there does not matter to me!"

"Forgive me, I am being rude."

"If you have no seeds for me to eat, then be gone! You have wasted enough of my time, and I am hungry. I do not live as long as you!"

"Thank you, Mr. Sparrow. I'll move on." The demeanor of small birds could shift so suddenly. They forgot kindnesses so quickly and remembered wrongs for so long. In that respect, they were much like people. Ken'ishi shrugged his belongings onto his back, then he paused. He pulled out Takenaga's coin pouch and plucked out the largest, shiniest gold coin. Then he placed it at the feet of the small stone god and clapped his hands twice, as he had seen others do to get the attention of the spirit of the shrine, bowed, and asked the shrine god for forgiveness for his deed. He received no response. With a heavy sigh, he moved on.

The smells of the forest, vibrant with life, helped to soothe the pain in his belly for a while, but as he walked, the constable's silken coin purse bumped into him with each step, driving him deeper and deeper into despair. His ears burned with the cries of "Criminal! Criminal!"

He did not feel like a criminal for killing the constable. That had been a duel of honor, and he had offered a chance to decide the duel without death. His teacher had prepared him for battle, but not for the reality--the finality--of it. In his mind, he saw Takenaga's pale face again, haloed by the expanding pool of blood, gasping, meeting the dying man's rage- and terror-stricken eyes. Ken'ishi shuddered. He knew the memory of the duel would be burned into his mind until the moment he died, and perhaps carry into his next life. His anger at Takenaga's insults was gone, drawn away with the departure of the man's life. But he thanked the kami for his own life.

Takenaga's coin purse in his hand stirred the cauldron of emotions in his belly. He cocked his arm back to throw the purse into the forest, then stopped. Guilt churned. In his weakness, he had stooped to thievery, and that made him a criminal.

But now with this money he could buy food for himself and Akao, for a little while, and in that time, perhaps he could find someone willing to employ him. Perhaps he could find a way to atone for his misdeed, but to do that, he had to live. Starving to death would serve no one. Samurai could also kill themselves to cleanse the stain of dishonor from their souls, but. . . If another constable captured him, he would be tortured and executed. Would an honorable warrior steal from a dead man? Samurai aspired to be the epitome of strength and honor, but sometimes they were simply evil men who enjoyed bloodletting for its own sake. Like the incident in the capital a few weeks before, where he had seen both the best and the worst of what a samurai could be.

Standing on the road, with Akao watching him expectantly, he hefted Takenaga's coin purse. He guessed it contained enough money to feed him for a long time. It was easy to see why some ronin stooped to banditry to fill their bellies. Should he give the money to someone he might meet on the road, perhaps a priest or a peasant? But then the thought of eating grubs and roots again tightened his grip on the heavy silken pouch. He looked at it until Akao nudged his leg.

"Go now. Whine later," Akao said.

Ken'ishi sighed, then put the purse inside his shirt and resumed his way down the path. Was this the weakness his sensei had told him all men possess? The darkness, the demons inside their spirits that make them greedy and cruel. Was this the weakness that his teacher had taught him how to conquer? Had he failed so quickly? Was this kind of evil the reason for his family's destruction?

As he walked, Ken'ishi heard the sound of a stream gurgling over rocks. Perhaps what he needed now was to sit beside it for a while. As a boy, when his teacher had been harsh with him, he had often sat beside the stream that passed the foot of the mountain where he had been raised. The burbling sound had always calmed him, washing away whatever terrible feelings filled him. So many bad feelings could be carried away by the smooth, serene sound of water sliding over the rocks.

He found the stream and climbed down the rocky bank to sit beside it. This was a pleasant spot. He noticed that Akao was gone, but he did not worry. The dog was stealthy when he chose to be, and had doubtless gone off in search of a meal. Bright green moss covered the moist rocks, and the abundance of bushes and bamboo along the banks gave him a feeling of seclusion. The stream was no more than ten paces across, and the water was clear. He knelt to thrust his face into the cool, gentle torrent, sucking down a great draught. Wiping his face, he stood up. The smell of the moist earth, the gentle gurgle of the water, the whisper of the breeze through the bamboo leaves, the song of a bird singing to its mate, all worked together to dispel some of the shame he felt. The place where he sat was invisible from the road. He would be safe here for a while. When he was calm, his hunger would return. Languid fish slid through the stream, and his stomach rumbled at the sight. The day was far from over, but he no longer felt like traveling.

Soon, however, the sounds of a group of people preceded them coming up the road. His relaxation evaporated in an instant. The sound came from the direction of the village; the angry mob searching for him. He crept up the bank of the stream toward the road, darting from brush to tree. The voices and footsteps grew louder. He stopped behind a thicket, where he was just able to see the nearby patch of road.

Before long, the mob came in sight. There was Yohachi, the distasteful village headman, three deputies, one of them carrying the dead constable's swords, and many more villagers with clubs and spears. Ken'ishi's chest clenched. He had angered them, like a nest of hornets struck with a stick. There were too many to fight, and he had no more stomach for killing today. Ducking behind his thicket, he waited until they passed, knowing he was fortunate that his presence had not been discovered. Were they following his tracks? Would they see where he had left the road? It was difficult for a group of people to remain vigilant for long periods, especially when traveling. After they had passed, he stole out to the road and studied the earth. The passage of the villagers had obscured any tracks he had left. He was safe, for now, but he could not stay here.

But now he had to be even more vigilant. These villagers would spread the word in the surrounding communities about what had happened. He would become a wanted man. It was no longer safe for him to travel. Everyone in the province would soon be on the lookout for him. What would he do? Avoiding every village would be difficult, especially when he needed food. Perhaps after a while, the fervor would die down and the villagers would sink back into complacency, after they thought that the criminal had left the area. The only thing he was certain of was that he had to get far away from here as soon as possible.