New Fic: The Dancer
Takaba Akihito had just finished his daily sword practice and was thinking of a quick bath followed by dinner when the daimyo’s personal valet, Toda Ranmaru, came to fetch him.
“The lord wants to see you,” said the valet, who was Takaba’s senior by a few years but still wore the hairstyle of a teenager. “He said to come as you are.”
“Do you know what he wants to see me about?” Takaba asked as they made their way through the landscaped gardens separating the manor house from the rest of the estate.
“No, but you’ll find out soon enough,” Toda replied without slowing down.
Soon they reached the wing of the building where the daimyo’s study was located and the valet went in alone to announce Takaba's arrival. After a minute he returned and gestured for the younger man to enter the room. There he found his lord sitting in front of a display of ancient calligraphic scrolls, his chief advisor, Kiyohara Shinemon, seated to his right as was his custom.
“Ah, Akihito.” The daimyo motioned for him to sit up. “You are looking more and more like your father every day.”
Takaba bowed his head, more surprised by the wistfulness in the lord’s voice than by his words. After all, this was hardly the first time he was told that he resembled his late father, who had been the daimyo’s closest aide before his untimely death fifteen years earlier.
“You must be wondering why I summoned you.” The old man took a sip of tea and Takaba thought he looked rather pensive and tired. “You know that Lord Asami’s people are here?”
“Yes, my lord, I saw the party arrive this afternoon.”
“They came to tell me that their lord would like the wedding to proceed as scheduled.” The old man sighed. “We have run out of reasons for further delays and so must go ahead with it...”
After a long pause, he continued in a tired voice:
“You know how much is at stake don’t you?”
“Yes, my lord.”
Young as he was, Takaba had grown up in the daimyo’s household and understood that the marriage between Asami Ryuichi and his master’s only daughter would increase power and prestige for both sides. A blood relative of the shogun, Asami ruled one of the largest fiefdoms in the land, but one thing he lacked was blood ties to the emperor in Kyoto. His own lord, though less wealthy and powerful, was a descendant of the imperial family on his mother’s side. This was why Asami was determined to marry Lady Mie even though he could have the pick of any noble lady in Japan.
“Given how...feisty Mie can be, I need someone to watch over her until she’s settled in at the Asami household.”
Takaba almost smiled at daimyo’s description of his impulsive, headstrong daughter. Of course the master would need someone to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn’t cause too much trouble-at least not until she produced an heir and thus secured the ties between the two houses...
“I want you to take that job.”
Takaba looked up, stunned. As Lady Mie’s favorite childhood playmate, he knew her better than any of her servants did and could even stand up to her when needed, but he doubted her husband-to-be would let him stay close enough to keep an eye on her.
“My lord...”
Seeing his expression, the daimyo’s chief advisor said quietly:
“You are to accompany Lady Mie as part of the dance troupe she will be taking with her. With your face and build, you could convincingly pass for a girl, and you won’t have to stay there for very long, only until she is... properly settled in. You have three months to prepare.”
“All you'll have to do is keep her company and report back to me regularly,” said the daimyo. “Things that you see and hear, that you find interesting...”
Is he really asking me to be his spy? Takaba bit his lips to keep from saying his thoughts out loud, and when the daimyo asked if he thought he was up to the task, he merely said he’d do his best. Taking his leave of his master, he ran into Toda the valet on his way out. Their eyes met but neither said a word and Takaba continued on his way. It was already dark out and servants were busy carrying lamps to the various wings of the mansion. The gardens outside were lit at intervals by stone lamps, and as Takaba made his way towards his quarters, he couldn’t help but admire the mesmerizing interplay of light and shadow. Suddenly he saw a shadow flit behind a tree.
“Who’s there?”
He called out in a loud voice, his body assuming fighting stance. Alone and unarmed, he felt no fear, only a rush of excitement. But out of the shadow came something he didn’t expect: A chuckle.
“Good evening.”
Moments later the owner of the voice revealed himself, dressed in a samurai’s robe, but one of a different color and pattern than the uniform of his lord’s retainers.
“Who are you and what are you doing here?”
“I am sorry if I startled you.” As the tall figure took a few steps closer, Takaba saw that his face was half obscured by a beard and he wore a patch over one eye. “I got lost on my way back to the guests’ quarters.”
“Are you with Lord Asami’s envoy?”
“Yes I am. I stopped to admire the gardens and forgot which turn to take...”
“The guests’ quarters are that way.” Takaba pointed, his eyes fixed on the man’s face.
“Ah!” The visitor returned his gaze smiling, his strange golden eye glinting in the dim light. “I am much in your debt, beautiful one.”
Chafing at the unwelcome compliment, the young man acknowledged the man’s thanks with a terse bow and stood watching until he disappeared down the stone path.
(TBC)