He continued his meal while she continued to plot his murder. When he finished, he climbed to his feet, tucked the sheathed katana in the sash around his waist and approached her. He took her by the arm and hauled her to her feet. She struggled, kicking out at him as best she could with her feet tied. He simply held her at arm's length until she settled down, and then released her.
“We will walk now,” he told her. “You will follow without making any trouble.”
“Are you going to release me?”
“No.”
She was not surprised. “Where are we going?”
“Nowhere in particular. It is merely a fine day for a walk. Keep in mind that I am armed, and you are not.”
“I thought your sword refused to slay me.”
He pulled a shorter knife from the thick sash around his waist. “Yes, my katana did not agree with your death, but my wakizashi in not so fickle.” He returned the blade to hiding, and took her by the sleeve to guide her. He slid the shoji open and when they stepped out onto the engawa just outside the movable wall, Tenji stood and offered a quick bow.
“Do you need something, Kojiro-dono?”
“We are going for a walk,” Kojiro said, donning his sandals.
“Do you need an escort?”
“That will not be necessary. Go find a meal for yourself. Send another to fix the damage to the wall.”
Tenji bowed at the waist and then entered the room they had just left. Kojiro had to help Hana down the wooden stairs, which she found difficult to descend with her ankles tied together, and onto the dirt path in front of the house. They headed south, away from the collection of houses within the castle walls and towards a copse of blooming cherry trees.
“Tell me of your brother,” Kojiro prompted.
“I do not want his memory tarnished by your ear,” she said.
He sighed. “It will make you feel better. Telling me of him will make a man of the body. But if you do not wish to make him more to me than another who died in battle by my hand, that is your decision. I will not press you further.” Hana wondered how far she could run before they caught her. Her feet were tied so that she could walk with little difficulty, but running would be impossible. If she could get the rope between her feet around Kojiro's neck, she could strangle him, but without the use of her arms a handstand wasn't possible. She hated this feeling of helplessness.
She was one of the top fighters in her clan. How had she been overcome some easily?
She had to do something besides stroll with him through the sakura trees and listen to his nonsense about making a man out of a body.
Hana pitched forward, crashing into him and trying to force him down onto the ground. He stumbled slightly, then turned and grabbed her by both arms, steadying her.
“Careful,” he murmured.
Her eyes widened as she stared up at him. She noticed for the first time how handsome he was. She lowered her eyes, cursing her traitorous thoughts. When she glanced up again, it was Reece smiling down at her.
“This is a real y weird leap, sweetheart. How are you holding up?” he said in English.
“I'm fine. This Ninja woman is very confused.”
“Kojiro isn't confused at al . It's love at first sight for him.”
“Seriously? She breaks down his wall, tries to kill him, and he fal s in love? You’ve got to be joking.”
He shook his head. “Nope. He thinks she’s hot. I'd risk kissing you, but I don't think Hana is ready for that yet.”
“She might throw up in your mouth.”
Reece made a disgusted face and swallowed hard. “Sounds pleasant. Thanks for the warning.”
“Actual y, I think she's more likely to bite off your tongue.”
“I'm glad you've got my back, sweetheart.”
Lara was disappointed when Kojiro's image overtook Reece's again. He reached down and plucked a soft, pink flower petal from her hair. She watched, transfixed as he brought the petal to his lips and kissed it, before allowing it to flutter to the ground.
“You are of the Nameo clan, am I right?” he asked.
Her brow furrowed. “How do you know that?”
“You resemble the people of that clan.”
She shook her head rapidly, her heart thudding in her chest. “No, I'm not.”
“I know you lie to protect them,” he said, “but the only way to protect them is to behave obediently as a member of my household until I tire of you.” She couldn't believe what he was saying. “What do you mean by that?”
“I like the look of you,” he said. “I wish your submissive obedience. In return, I will not raid your village and slaughter your people for disrespecting my home and attempting to end my life.”
“I cannot,” she whispered, her lip trembling. “I will not give my body to you.” He laughed. “I did not ask for your body,” he said, “just your obedience. Taking your body would be easy. Earning your devotion, much less so.” She hated to admit that her pride was wounded by his rejection of her body. She scowled at her traitorous thoughts. “I cannot give my obedience nor my devotion, either.”
“Then your people will die. The ninja have been a nuisance for too long. I hoped we might form a truce, but if you insist on fighting, we will not back down. Do you understand?”
He retrieved another flower petal from her hair and turned to walk further into the copse of trees. He stroked the flower petal between his thumb and middle finger as he walked. She was too afraid not to follow. Several Ninjas in her clan had already fallen to this samurai. She didn't doubt that he would do exactly what he said.
It had been hard enough to lose her ani, but to lose her little sisters, her parents, her grandmother, her friends, and those she'd know since birth—she wouldn't be able to bear it. Especially if it was because of her own stubbornness.
“Koji-,” she hesitated and forced herself to use the appropriate honorific to show her obedience and lower station. The man was of the elite class of samurai and she was but a commoner with fighting skills. “Kojiro-dono, what would you require of me?” He glanced over his shoulder, smiling slightly. “I have yet to decide,” he said. His eyes travelled down her body. “But I would require you to dress as a woman, instead of a peasant man.”
She lowered her eyes. She always dressed like this. Wearing a kimono was not conducive for fighting to protect her people from raiders, other ninja clans and the occasional samurai securing territory for his shogun.
“I understand,” she murmured.
“Do you know how to cook?” He turned his attention to the path ahead, trusting her to keep up.
“I…”
“Perhaps I should rephrase that. Are you a good cook?” She shook her head. “No. I am skilled at fishing and apparently less so at fighting.”
“Fishing? We are kindred. We shall fish tonight, and tomorrow, my mother will begin to teach you to be a woman, since your mother obviously failed at the task.”
“Do not speak of my honorable mother in such a way!” He made no comment, which infuriated her further.
“You should apologize,” she growled.
“Perhaps,” he said, “perhaps not.”
She pulled against her bound wrists, longing to strangle him, or stab him, or something equally violent.
“A woman should know her place,” he added.
She shrieked in fury, before rushing forward as fast as her bound ankles would al ow. Just before she crashed into him, he stepped sideways gingerly and she fel flat on her face. She lay there for a long moment, too frustrated to care about the scrape stinging her cheek, or the bruises spreading across her shoulder, ribcage and hip. She heard Kojiro's footsteps beside her. She rolled onto her side, expecting him to haul her to her feet again, but he walked past her and continued towards the stream beyond the cherry trees.
“I'll be fishing in the stream. If you are not there to join me soon, you know what the consequences will be,” he said calmly as he passed her.
“Wait,?
? she gasped. “Can you help me up?”
“No. You got yourself into such a predicament. You figure out how to get yourself out of it.”
She cursed him under her breath and lay there in the dust, trying to figure out how to get to her feet with her arms behind her back and her feet tied too close together to al ow her proper leverage. She sighed and then struggled to her knees. She closed her eyes and concentrated, using the strength in her calves to get onto her tiptoes, then slowly rose to standing position. She started walking towards a shed near the river. A few other men were standing around the shed along with Kojiro. A pair of flat boats floated in the dark water beside a dock and a collection of baskets sat on the shore.
“She will sit in my boat and watch,” Kojiro was saying to one of the men.
“I believe that will upset the birds,” he replied.
“My birds are always calm,” Kojiro said. “Besides, I need to keep an eye on her.
She's a bit of a troublemaker.”