Chapter 2: Sanada

The town of the murder

The dirt road wound its way through the forest, breaking away to reveal the town below. Sanada castle rose like a mountain above the hundreds of houses beneath it, and a sea of rice paddies filled the rest of the valley. Sanada castle had stood for centuries, and for the past two hundred years with little fear of invasion, so showed the houses that were built upon the outside of the city's outer wall. The peasants who worked the field gave little attention to the young samurai as he walked along the road. He bore no clan mon, so they regarded him as a mere ronin and unworthy of attention. The few who walked past the boy gave him quick cursory bows, often not breaking stride as they did so.

The line of peasants and merchants stretched far back from the gates of the city. The guards checked over their wares and let them pass into the castle town. They watched the boy pass ahead of the waiting peasants with mild contempt.

When he attempted to enter the castle town, a man wearing a jitte tucked within his sash stopped him and asked “Who comes to the gate of castle Sanada?” His words in a gruff short tone, the man wearing the pale blue kimono and gray over-vest of a member of the town guard. His eyes watched the youth wearily, his eyes narrowed as he rested heavily on a wooden staff.

Fuyukaze rested one hand on his hip, straightening tall as he spoke in a careful deliberate manner. “I am Taeshimo Fuyukaze, student of the Katsukana school. I have come seeking the killer of Goshiro Yoshio, another student of the school who came here yesterday.”

The guardsman paused, looking at the youth in disbelief. Surely the school would send more than a teenage boy to avenge the school's honor. Still he bowed to the young samurai lightly. “I see, my apologies Taeshimo-sama, we respect the academy's reputation completely. However, the man you seek is no longer here in the city. The magistrate Katsukana Yomine-sama has sought the man, perhaps you should seek him in his estate.”

“Thank you for your advice.” Fuyukaze returned the bow and stepped through the wide wooden doorway.

The town itself was smaller than most, with a few districts of woodcutters and carpenters who harvested the pines for timber.  Merchants barked their wares and people haggled for food, clothing and tools.  The castle itself rose up upon a small hill, its blue tiles and whitewashed appearance rising like a mountain peak.    Below the castle and near a series of houses on tall stilts that acted as a granary was a large palatial home.  It was the home of the magistrate.  

Fuyukaze knocked at the door of the magistrate's residence, a large wooden wall surrounded the residence in the midst of the samurai district of the castle town of Sanada. He waited impatiently for the messenger to arrive, a short rotund man with a balding head who wore black robes with a pattern of blue flowers upon it.

“Yes samurai-sama, have you eaten rice today?” he said, his breath smelling like rotten straw, causing the young samurai to wince.

“No, no I have not” he said putting a hand to his stomach “I have come to see the magistrate, please let him know that Fuyukaze of the Taeshimo family has come to speak with him.” The servant bowed low “Yes sir, yes, please come and wait inside.” He opened the door wide stepping aside to let the man enter. He closed the door and hurried off into the main house beyond.

As he stood there he took in the view, the magistrate's estate was very large with a large garden hidden within the wooden wall. The residence held three houses and a small stables, the largest house served as the main residence and the shutters were wide open in the front, allowing the cool air to flow through the building while rice paper was stretched across the wooden lattice to keep prying eyes out.

Fuyukaze let himself wander into the garden, standing over a small pond beneath an citrus tree. He watched the the white and orange koi within swim underneath, occasionally skimming the surface which created ripples across the water. In his reverie he did not notice the servant approach again “Taeshimo-sama, I am afraid the magistrate has taken ill and will not be able to see you today. Please have something to eat, and perhaps he can see you tomorrow.” He offered a black and red lacquer tray to the boy and atop sat a dish with two rice balls and a cup of tea.

Fuyukaze blinked and took the tray curiously and smiled “Thank you very much, I appreciate your master's generosity and I am sorry to hear he is unwell.” He bowed his head slightly, taking the tray “But my business is with a man who passed through the city, the one who took the life of a student of the Katsukana academy student. Perhaps one of his bodyguards would be able to tell me?”

The servant’s eyes widened and he nodded “Yes sir, that would be easily done. Please wait here for me.” He bowed again and slipped off and back into the house, stepping out of his sandals as he moved from the garden to the wooden veranda.

The young samurai knelt down near the pond, taking a rice ball in hand and taking a few bites from it as he sipped the tea. The boy had forgotten to pack anything to eat for his journey so this meal was welcome indeed. When the rice was finished he waved his fingers over the water to break off the last few grains that clung to him, and the koi in turn eagerly pushed their mouths to the surface gulping air in hopes of capturing the few morsels of food.

Again the servant returned alone, and bowed low again. “I am sincerely sorry Taeshimo-sama, but we have been greatly affected by the flu and I am afraid none of the magistrates men will be able to assist you, they feel too poorly and would be afraid of passing their distress unto you. Perhaps you could come back tomorrow?”

Fuyukaze blinked, a bit astounded “They are all sick?” He mouthed the words slowly as if he could scarcely believe they slipped from his mouth. He shook his head “I see, I am sorry for disturbing you. Thank your master for his generosity, I will return tomorrow then.” He bowed low and laid the teacup down upon the lacquer tray.  “I am deeply sorry to hear that such sorrow has fallen upon your master.  Please thank him for the rice and tea.”  

The servant smiled softly “Of course good sir, it is our pleasure.  Please come again.”

With that Fuyukaze rose to his feet and left the manor, walking through the gates only to look back at the doorway curiously as it was closed behind him.  The youth found himself wandering the main road again.  He wandered through the winding avenues passing the vendors and the brightly colored awnings over their shops he could not help to feel doubt in his heart.  The encounter had shaken him, he felt so strongly about his convictions but he could not help but feel doubt in his heart.  

Was the killer in the city or had he fled?  Why had the entire magistrate's household taken ill so suddenly? It did not make sense, as he passed along the avenues he looked around and noticed many people were staring at him, though when he turned to meet their gaze they turned away and returned to their tasks.

A flush of embarrassment washed over him, the boy looking down wondering if something was wrong with his dress. He straightened the sash at his waist and hurried to an alleyway, intent on adjusting his outfit, but finding no stains or tears he was left wondering about everyone staring at him.

“So another student is in town, can you believe yesterday that ronin just cutting him down like that?” the voice of a young man echoed through the alleyway and Fuyukaze's breath caught in his throat. He swallowed hard staying perfectly still, straining his ears to hear over the din of the crowd. Trying to make out the youth's words, then it was met by another.

“It was horrible, I cannot believe you're even speaking of it. That brute first cutting down the boy for bumping into him, then robbing his body like that. It was barbaric!”

“Oh they are samurai, they kill one another for no reason at all. But he was some fellow, just turning and pawning the boy's sword for money for drink and waiting in town without a care in the world. Of course the magistrate came, and that fight! It was amazing.”

“Your sick Tayano, the magistrate's men died to a man and the magistrate himself was wounded gravely. This is not the theater, the last thing we need is more soldiers in town, and without the magistrate the gamblers in town will take to the streets in force.”

“You're far too boring Sayaki, besides what else is there to do, it's free entertainment, I wish we lived in the capital. I hear samurai are always fighting one another there.” Fuyukaze stepped out from the alley and looked to the young man, a man in his late teens wearing a yellow silk kimono with white squares over the right shoulder. He swallowed his next words as he noticed the samurai. “Good afternoon Samurai-sama, perhaps I could interest..”

Fuyukaze interrupted immediately “The ronin who fought the magistrate yesterday, what was his name and where did he go?” he said with an urgency that gave away his intention.

The other man, in his twenties wearing a yellow kimono of similar make and sporting a small neatly trimmed beard shook his head “No lord, we did not see anything. Please could we interest you perhaps in...”

The young samurai again interrupted, a few noticing the apparent rudeness but Fuyukaze shook in desperation ignoring the elder man. “No, you saw him which direction did he travel? Where did he fight? What did he look like? Anything? Tell me!” he trembled, looking to the older teen.

Tayano smiled nervously “Uh, I see sir, forgive my cousin he did not remember the events clearly. I think the ronin's name was Hinada Ayomi. He was at Muguro's, near the west of the city, I don't know if he is still there, are you going to fight him?” The last words escaped his mouth as Sayaki shot him a glance that could freeze sake.

Wordlessly, Fuyukaze pushed past the duo, looking around briefly to gain his orientations and traveled quickly to the west. The man who killed his friend had a name now, Hinada Ayomi. He had never heard of the Hinada family, though he only knew of a few outside of his own clan. He pushed through the streets quickly, peasants backing away seeing a swordsman dashing through the street, his wide eyes screamed his bloody intention.