The Ash amongst the Stars Chapter 5
Logic told him that his eyes should not be drawn towards the sunset, with its glorious hues of purple and crimson, in such unabashed admiration. His heart and mind should by all rights have been consumed with fear and uncertainty. And yet the only emotion that Tomohisa could determine was a serene sense of calm, as he rested his forehead lightly against the rider’s back. It was not the first time that day that he’d found himself fighting the urge to succumb to his bodies will to sleep. Jin had such extraordinary control over the creature that they rode, and had somehow succeeded in creating a rhythm, hypnotic and bewitching in its effect. Tomohisa closed his eyes and moved his hands, which had been placed carefully on Jin’s sides, around to the man’s stomach. He felt the concealed muscles clench; the only signal of Jin’s surprise. Tomohisa smiled and began to massage the area gently with his fingers, revelling in the change that the small gesture brought to the man’s breathing.
The whispered words of hours passed had not escaped him; Jin was hiding something, and that made him vulnerable and very much afraid. ‘Trust me Pi...I need you to trust me...you have to follow my lead. If you don’t then we’re both dead.’ Tomohisa had known that those words alone should have been enough to stimulate a reaction, and yet it had been the voice that delivered them that had penetrated his skin and lodged itself within his soul. It was the same voice that used to whisper to him when he was child: ‘Don’t let him hear you or we’ll get a beating!’... ‘I know that it’s dark...take my hand...I promise I won’t let you fall.’.... ‘Please don’t tell my father that I broke it!’ It had felt as though his heart was refusing to beat and his breath came out in shudders, as he’d tightened his hold on his friend.
Their recent time together had been brief, unexpected and at times violent. Jin remained an enigma but at that moment Tomohisa had known with upmost certainty that the boy that he had known had not been a lie, fabricated to gain the trust of the unknowing villages nor had he died the night that Akanishi Jin had left the village to return to his own people. The child Jin, the only other survivor of Hanada, was alive, cowering deep within the prison that he’d been forced to create for himself. It was almost impossible to see the boy; for his shell had been constructed with lies, cruelty and distrust, even the eyes, that were supposed to tell more than the lips were able, spoke of nothing at all. And yet, somehow, the voice had broken through, and reached out to him, like tiny fingers grasping for safety in the night.
‘What is the meaning of this?’ Jin’s voice, harsh and urgent, pulled him from his trance.
‘I...don’t know,’ Tegoshi who, along with Matsumoto, was still riding close sounded nervous as he responded.
‘Don’t lie to me!’ Jin spat. Tomohisa could feel the tension in his companion’s body and the horse below them, as though sensing the man’s anger, jerked suddenly causing him to grab Jin tightly to maintain his balance.
‘I swear, I don’t know!’ something told Tomohisa that Tegoshi was telling the truth.
Frowning he attempted to peer over Jin’s shoulder as it seemed that that was where the threat lay. But his attempts were in vain as Jin chose that moment to force the horse to a standstill, and dismount, immediately turning to pull Tomohisa to the ground with him. He gasped at the suddenness of the movement, realising a second too late that he wasn’t prepared to take control of his own balance, and tumbling awkwardly into Jin.
‘Don’t tell them anything,’ Jin whispered hurriedly, his face pressed against Tomohisa’s neck, ‘whatever they ask stay silent or tell them that you’re loyal to me and answer to me alone. Do you understand?’ He felt hot lips press themselves fleetingly against his exposed skin, before the rumble of hooves and the shouts of men caused him to pull away and face the group that had wasted no time in surrounding them.
It seemed as though the hands, of men unknown, were everywhere as he was forced away from Jin and kicked to his knees. He could hear Jin protesting but the men paid no attention as they seized his arms and forced them behind his back. Tomohisa bit his lip, as the unexpected force caused his shoulders to crack, but he refused to make any sound. His eyes sought out Jin, who seemed to be emitting fury, eyes ablaze as he fought off the men that were pawing at him in an attempt to calm and control him.
‘Father!’ he yelled, his focus on the only man still on a horse.
Tomohisa frowned; this was not the man that he had known to be Jin’s father. Although he did share certain facial features with the kind-faced man who had become famous in the village for his repertoire of terrifying tales and his creative tongue, this man had nothing gentle about him. Tomohisa felt his stomach clench as he sought out the eyes of the head of the secret families, for now he knew that the cool, emptiness that had replaced Jin’s childish sparkle, was but a mere shadow of the vacuum that was this man’s expression. Jin’s father showed no sign that his son’s voice had reached him as he sat, head lifted, as though he were an emperor gazing upon a handful of worthless subjects.
Jin stood frozen for what, to Tomohisa, seemed like the longest time, the only movement being the steady rise and fall of his chest. Tomohisa tried to move his shoulders but the man that held him refused to loosen his hold and slacken the strain on Tomohisa’s screaming muscles. He wondered if he was alone in his discomfort at the silence that hung over the men, most it seemed were awaiting a sign from their leader, but several had their eyes trained on Jin, who alone seemed to dare face the man.
‘Father,’ Jin spoke again, but suddenly his voice seemed quiet, uncertain, even deferential. Tomohisa wished that he could fully understand the fresh wave of fear that Jin’s voice caused him. ‘Forgive me Father.’ Slowly he lowered himself to the ground, ‘I beg that I be permitted to explain my actions.’ Tomohisa could hardly breathe as he watched the man that had previously acted with such power and control, prostrate himself on the ground like a frightened servant.
‘What were your orders, Jin?’ The man finally spoke, his voice low and void of feeling.
Jin remained as he was for a few moments, before silently pushing himself back up to his knees, head bowed to the ground. ‘That Hanada be destroyed, sir.’ He answered quietly.
‘And what of its people?’ his father urged in the same tone.
‘That they be killed,’ Tomohisa had never heard Jin sound so afraid, ‘and that there be no survivors.’
The group seemed to give a collective shudder as the head of the Akanishi family suddenly dismounted and moved towards his eldest son. Grabbing him by the hair he tore his head upwards, forcing the young man to face him. ‘So why have you, my son and heir, chosen to disobey me?’ the man’s voice was no longer emotionless, but Tomohisa wished that it was as the tone was replaced by raw fury. Hesitation from Jin seemed to cause the man to expand as his chest swelled in anger. ‘Tell me!’ he shouted, ‘who is this prisoner that you have dared to try to escort to our village?’
‘Please,’ Jin gasped, ‘father...I intend to exp...’
‘You will explain now!’ The swish of the horsewhip slicing through the air before the dull thud of contact caused both Jin and Tomohisa to flinch; Jin out of pain and Tomohisa out of horror.
‘Father!’ Jin cried, but this was not satisfactory and he was struck again.
‘His name is Yamashita Tomohisa,’ an unseen voice caused everyone to turn. Tomohisa ground his teeth as the familiar shape of the speaker stepped into view; it was the man that had posed as Jin’s father for all those years. ‘He and Jin were friends during our time in Hanada, uncle,’ the man moved closer and bowed, ‘I always believed that it was simply part of Jin’s act...I never imagined that...’ he cleared his throat, ‘I’m so sorry uncle, I should have been more vigilant...’
‘No!’ Jin shouted, ‘it’s not like that!’ he lifted his head and glared up at his father, ‘I would never disobey you for a thing as superficial as “friendship”. The boy means nothing to me!’
Tomohisa couldn’t breathe as the words hit him like shards of glass. He had been beginning to believe in Jin, and yet now he sounded just as sincere and truthful as he had earlier. Well trained in the art of deceit, the man could fool anyone. So how could Tomohisa truly know what his intentions were?
‘Then kill him,’ calm and control had returned to his father’s voice, as his empty eyes gazed upon his trembling son. ‘Prove to me that you would not compromise the secrets of the families simply to save a peasant whom you befriended whilst on a mission.’
Jin turned his head to Tomohisa and gazed at him for a few seconds, his expression impossible to read, before turning back towards his father. ‘Please...’ he sighed, dramatically, ‘you can’t ask that of me.’
A cruel smile spread across the fathers face as he began to stroke the item that he had previously used to beat his son. It was sickeningly apparent to Tomohisa that the man took great pleasure in shaming others, even the boy that was one day destined to take his place. ‘And why is that?’ he spoke slowly, ‘don’t try my patience, Jin...despite what you may think, you are replaceable.’
Tomohisa couldn’t quite determine what is was that changed in Jin, but somehow the man seemed to transform from a quivering, beaten mess into the handsome and deadly heir to the Akanishi family. His back suddenly seemed broader as he straightened it and raised his head to face his father. ‘I do not want to be responsible for the death of the one man that could bring about the downfall of the Nishikido family.’
Had Tomohisa been prepared for such a statement he might have been able to control his expression more successfully. However his eyes grew wide as his jaw slackened, and to a group of specialised assassins, this change in him did not go unnoticed.
‘What nonsense is this?’ Jin’s father spat, ‘do you think that you can fool me; I’m your father, not some foolish....’
‘Do I look like I’m lying, father?’ Jin’s voice was low, and Tomohisa could detect the similarity between the tones of the two men. ‘I brought him to you because I wanted to surprise you with...’
‘Nonsense!’ the older man barked, suddenly twisting away from his son and heading straight for Tomohisa, who once again tried to struggle against his captors with little result. ‘It’s obvious that your little friend has no idea what you’re referring to! Look at him!’ He seized Tomohisa roughly by the chin and forced his head from side-to-side mockingly.
‘It’s true, he has no id...’
But Jin’s father had no intention of allowing him to finish as he cut him off again; ‘Ryuu,’ he appeared to be addressing the man that had acted as Jin’s father in his place, ‘can you explain the meaning of this?’ The man shook his head slowly and Tomohisa noticed a hint of sorrow in his expression. ‘How unfortunate!’ the leader’s voice dripped with sarcasm as he released his hold on Tomohisa and returned his attention back towards his kneeling son. ‘Now I’m giving you one last chance,’ he snarled as he delivered a swift kick in Jin’s direction, ‘you tell me the truth right now or I’m going to make you, and your little friend, beg to be allowed to die!’
Tomohisa gulped as he, along with all others present, awaited Jin’s response with baited breath.
‘I wanted to surprise you, Father.’ The young assassin sounded almost disappointed as he gazed at the monster of a man that ruled over him, ‘it wasn’t long before I left the village that I discovered the truth about Yamashita...but I wanted to be sure before I took action...’
‘Be sure of what? What truth?’ patience was obviously not a trait possessed by the head of the families.
‘On our last visit to Kamenashi I was able to extract the information that I needed from one of his top retainers...’
‘Extract?’ His father raised an eyebrow, and despite the hostility of the situation Jin smiled.
‘I have my ways, father.’ Tomohisa didn’t like the sound of that. Jin coughed quietly and continued, ‘Kamenashi suspected that Nishikido had placed more than just spies in Hanada.’ Jin glanced around at the men that hung upon his every word, and smiled knowingly as his status was gradually being returned to him, ‘he believed that a woman, an ex-servant of Nishikido’s castle resided there with her son.’
Jin’s father narrowed his eyes and folded his arms as he puzzled over what his son was telling him, ‘go on.’ He muttered.
Jin smiled and shuffled, changing his position. ‘Kamenashi believed that Nishikido had been bewitched by the charms of his servant, and that he only ever lay with his wife due to necessity.’
‘That’s not uncommon, Jin.’ His father snapped, once again growing impatient, ‘it is not unknown for a lord to have a concubine or several...’
‘Of this I’m aware,’ Jin spoke lightly, ‘but it is expected that any mistakes that might be conceived between a lord and one of his women be terminated.’ He smiled knowingly at his father whose eyes suddenly seemed to triple in size.
‘Wait...do you mean to say that...’
‘Yes,’ this time it was Jin’s turn to interrupt, ‘not long after the birth of Nishikido’s son, Ryo, he conceived another child with his young servant girl. Now needless to say, his wife demanded that the child be aborted, but Kamenashi was of the belief that Nishikido was swayed by the girl who begged to be allowed to keep her unborn child.’
‘So there is an illegitimate heir?’ anger had been replaced by excitement in the voice of the leader.
Jin nodded, ‘Nishikido sent the woman, and four of his men to the one place that he believed that Kamenashi would never think to look.’
Suddenly Tomohisa felt the eyes of every man present fix themselves on him, but he could look only at Jin. He had known that his old friend was gifted when it came to the art of fabrication and deceit, but this story existed on a whole new level. Surely no-one would believe such nonsense?
‘Just think of it, father,’ Jin boldly began to rise to his feet, ‘Tomohisa has sworn himself to me, but only out of fear. His true loyalties lie with Kamenashi.’
‘Kamenashi?’ came the confused response.
‘Yes,’ Jin sighed and raised his hands, ‘what better way to protect valuables from being stolen than to hide them amongst the thief’s own possessions? For no man steals from himself. Tomohisa was hidden so well, that even he did not know his true identity. He had been raised to serve his father’s enemy.’
‘Is this true?’ Tomohisa found himself being addressed by the family head, but he could only stare in confusion and uncertainty. Surely Jin was lying. His words couldn’t possibly be true. Could they?
‘In our grasps we have the potential to create the ultimate spy, father,’ Jin sounded excited now and it made Tomohisa feel nauseous. ‘We could use him to gain Nishikido’s trust, to weaken his defences, and then hand him over to Kamenashi. Imagine the glory and the rewards that would be bestowed upon the families!’
‘But what makes you think that the illegitimate child of a warlord holds any power?’ a bystander blurted, before bowing awkwardly to Jin’s father, ‘forgive me, sir,’ the muttered, ‘but surely Nishikido isn’t going to care about the son that he abandoned to live amongst the people of his rival...’
‘He will care,’ Jin answered with a sneer, ‘because Nishikido never grew to love his wife...he only ever cared for one woman...and now she’s gone.’ He paused. ‘Nishikido will know by now that Hanada has been destroyed and he is no doubt overcome with grief. How thrilled he will be when his son, the son that his love bore him, returns to him.’
Jin’s father’s eyes were suddenly alight with excitement, and Tomohisa felt as though he could see the imagined riches dancing in those dark orbs. Jin glanced at him and smiled knowingly. Tomohisa simply blinked back in confusion.
‘Yes!’ the leader gasped, clapping his hands together in anticipation, ‘but we need to plan this...it’s going to be tricky...tricky...’ he trailed off, obviously lost in his own thoughts.
‘I will assist Tomohisa in his training,’ Jin volunteered, ‘he has already pledged himse...’
‘No!’ His father barked, ‘we will do nothing yet...I need time to think this over...bind him!’ he called out to the men that surrounded Tomohisa. He barely had time to protest before a sack was pulled over his head and his arms and legs were tightly restrained. He heard himself crying out, terrified, but no mercy was offered as he was lifted and thrown onto the nearest horse. ‘I want a guard with him at all times,’ the hateful man continued in the same excitable voice, ‘tomorrow I will meet with the other family heads and we will decide what should be done. But now we have the matter of the dead to deal with. Come,’ he cried, ‘someone give my son their horse. What an interesting day it has been.’
Tomohisa felt someone climb onto the horse, their leg brushing roughly against his dangling head. He closed his eyes and prayed that it might be Jin but no confirmation was offered as the creature began to move. He gasped in pain, as his body was tossed mercilessly from side to side, bruises immediately beginning to form on his lower torso and pelvis. The glorious wonder that he had felt less than an hour earlier, long forgotten.
It didn’t take long for them to reach their destination. Or at least that’s what Tomohisa assumed, as they came to a sudden halt. He felt the rider dismount, and waited in nervous anticipation for something to be done with him.
‘I’ll escort him to a cell,’ a voice close by, presumably the riders, called out.
‘But the funeral!’ someone called back.
‘It’s ok,’ the voice spoke again, ‘just send someone to guard him soon.’
And then he was being dragged to his feet and pulled across the invisible ground, hands holding him firmly and nails digging cruelly into his injured skin. ‘I won’t rest until you’re dead,’ the voice hissed quietly, causing Tomohisa to falter and stumble. The man allowed him to crash to the ground before dragging him to his feet again. ‘I know the truth,’ Tomohisa couldn’t understand the extremity of the hatred that he detected there, ‘I know what Jin did to save you, I saw it.’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about!’ Tomohisa snapped but his voice was muffled by the suffocating sack.
‘You should be dead!’ the man hissed, ‘but instead another died in your place.’ Tomohisa thought back to the man that had injured his leg and arm.
‘I didn’t kill him!’ he protested, flinching as the man allowed him to knock into some unseen building.
‘No, but I think we both know who did! And you’ll both pay for it in the end!’
‘Who are you?’ he snapped, but something told him that he already knew the answer to that question. ‘Is that you Matsumoto?’
Low laughter confirmed his suspicions as he heard a door open and moments later he was pushed through it. The only greeting that he received there was the cold, hard earth; the on-going darkness and a silence so deafening that he soon found himself wondering whether or not he was really even conscious.