Nightblade (24 page)

Ryuu lay in grass just high enough to cover his body. He was thankful for the new moon. Dark skies meant he would not be seen. He tried to still his heart so he could focus, but he couldn’t. It felt tight like he would burst open at any moment, spilling out all his hopes and dreams and plans on the ground with his entrails.

Without his calm, he couldn’t focus his senses well. He could tell there were two sentries nearby, but he couldn’t extend his search any further than that. He would need a uniform to get into camp. Those two were as good as any.

He thought he had been crawling slowly, but he was behind the two guards in short order. His attempt at stealth was unnecessary. The two were laughing and telling lewd stories from their time in New Haven. He could have walked up right in front of them and not been noticed.

A quick series of blows rendered the two men unconscious, bodies falling to the ground with a muffled thump. Ryuu stripped the guard closest to his size and tied and gagged them both with leather straps he had brought with him. He had just finished throwing the guard’s clothes over his own robes when another pair of sentries came over the hill. He had been so distracted he hadn’t even sensed them. The sentries were no more than ten paces from the guards he had just knocked out. They were in tall grass, but anyone looking would find them without a problem.

With no options Ryuu stood there, acting how he imagined a sentry would act. As the pair approached Ryuu tried to calm his mind. He would be in a lot of trouble if they were his replacements. The guards walked right up to him and it took Ryuu every piece of focus he possessed not to stare at the guards he had just tied up.

Ryuu noticed the stitching on one of the men’s uniforms as he approached. Shigeru had forced him to memorize insignia. This man was a lieutenant, probably the commander of this whole sentry unit tonight. Ryuu cursed. He would know his men. Ryuu looked outward, trying to keep the back of his head pointed at the officer.

Fate was not on his side. The officer stopped and stood behind him, taking in the view of the valley below.

“Where is your second, ensign?”

Ryuu thought fast. “Pissing, sir.”

“He couldn’t do that here?”

Ryuu grimaced. He hadn’t thought of that. Lying wasn’t his strongest skill. He’d never had to around Shigeru.

“Said he wanted some privacy, sir.”

“Then you should have turned your back, soldier!”

Ryuu fingered his sword with his off hand. He had no answer and wasn’t sure if one was expected. He pretended to maintain his vigil, the perfect sentry.

The officer swore. “You are both to report my tent immediately once your relief arrives. I don’t know what you’re up to, but we’re going to get to the bottom of it. Probably trying to sneak women in again . . .”

The lieutenant and his second stomped away and Ryuu let out a deep breath. He hadn’t even gotten close to the camp yet!

There was little time to reflect though. As soon as the officer and his second were out of sight Ryuu was racing through the night. Fear focused him and his sense spread out in a protective canopy, warning him of any immediate dangers. When he reached a good vantage point he stopped and observed the camp below him.

Those first few glances were almost enough to convince him to turn around and abandon the attempt. When Shigeru had told him the army would have a few thousand men he had imagined a large group of people, but a camp for thousands was a massive affair which spread out thousands of paces. Hundreds of campfires burned below him.

He had spread out his sense as he ran and now it created the same disorienting effect of being in the city. Ryuu fought against the nausea in his head as he tried to leave his mind open. He needed to find Takako but he couldn’t imagine how to go about it. He had thought he could pick her out, but there was too much information. He had hoped she might stand out as a woman, but there were many women present, which also surprised Ryuu. Marching an army wasn’t the all-male affair he had expected it to be. He glanced at the moon. Already he had imagined he would be escaping from the camp, not still trying to get in.

Ryuu paused for a moment to think. There had to be a way to make the searching simpler, faster. He couldn't go from tent to tent checking inside. He ran his eyes over the camp again. This was a military camp. There was no way that the tents would be set up randomly. There would be some sort of order to them. If he could figure out the order then he could narrow down his search.

Ryuu tried to think logically. Nori's son would be close to his father for protection and for image. It would make sense then if they were closer to the center of camp surrounded by the entire protection of their army. Ryuu’s eyes wandered to the center of the camp again while searching for patterns and exceptions to patterns. His closer examination revealed a likely target. Near the center there was a tent, larger than the others with just a little more space around it. Perhaps it was Nori's tent.

It was too far and far too many people for him to use his sense. If he was going to be useful he’d have to get closer. He thought about trying to plan out his route, but he had no time and he wasn’t sure it would do him any good anyway. Whatever plan he had was already in tatters. No point trying to make a bad situation any worse.

Ryuu stood up straight and walked down towards the camp. The closer he got to the camp the more rings of sentries surrounded him. He had worried there would be passwords, but no one challenged him. Either there were none, or the guards were lazy. Ryuu counted himself fortunate to have gotten at least one break.

He relaxed once he was inside the camp. There was no order as soldiers walked throughout the camp. Ryuu paid attention to his surroundings and moved at angles towards the center of the camp. He changed directions while observing the reactions of the people around him. Soon he was confident he wasn’t being followed.

He got as close to the center as he could without attracting attention. There was a ring of guards around the innermost tent, but Ryuu cast out his sense and couldn’t find Takako within the ring.

Ryuu tried to push out his sense, but there were too many people moving and he was too nervous. He’d have to be close. He started circling the center of the camp, weaving so as not to attract too much attention. Tent after tent and he couldn’t sense Takako. Pressure mounted in his chest. He had to find her. This was his only chance.

There was no warning when he sensed her. His sense was too limited by his environment. He needed more training. His intuition, thankfully, had been right. He pushed his stress down as far as it would go, focusing on his surroundings and on his breath. His sense of Takako was strong. She was alone.

Ryuu was able to walk right up to the tent. It was smaller than the tent in the center although still nicer than the tents common soldiers shared. In another stroke of luck there weren’t any guards. They were probably assigned to Akio. The consort didn’t merit special attention. His hopes soared. He could walk in and sweep her off her feet, rescue her and be out, the hero of the day.

He was still day dreaming as he walked in.

“Get out!”

Ryuu was shocked. Didn’t she recognize him? Did she think he was a guard? His eyes adjusted to the dark and his heart fell. He was too late. Takako’s clothes were in shreds, one breast hanging out without cover, the other barely hidden. All her legs were visible, long and lean and beautiful. But he could tell. He could sense it. This wasn’t the same girl he had left. She had been used.

Ryuu groped around the dark searching for words. His mind had given up on processing what was happening.

“What are you doing here? Akio will kill both of us for sure!”

Anger caught in Ryuu’s throat, giving him a voice to speak.

“That bastard can’t hurt me.”

Takako struggled into a sitting position and Ryuu saw why she had no guards. Her wrists and ankles were bound tightly, tied to the tent. She had nowhere to go.

“I came here to rescue you.” The words sounded more pathetic than he had imagined. The day dream of a boy who didn’t realize he had walked into the very middle of an army.

“No. Turn around now before he kills us both. Don’t be so stupid.”

This wasn’t what he had planned. She was supposed to jump in his arms, not turn him away. He went to her, trying to explain.

Takako struggled backwards. “No! Ryuu, there’s nothing for me or you . . .” Takako’s eyes went wide as Ryuu noticed the light of a torch behind him. Takako had distracted him. He had lost his sense again. Shigeru would be very disappointed.

Akio’s eyes flared with hate as he recognized Ryuu. In one smooth motion he had placed the torch in a rest meant for it and drew his sword. Akio was quick. He was almost as quick as Shigeru. A sudden step from Ryuu caused Akio’s cut to miss by the width of a hair, and Ryuu took two paces back to give himself some space. Akio didn’t follow, keeping his balance.

Akio’s rage dripped from his voice. “I will kill you for this.”

Ryuu didn’t respond. He was focusing on his breath, dropping into his stance. He drew his sword.

Akio was on a different level than bandits. He had been well trained since childhood in all the arts of war, and may have had a long future as a swordsman ahead of him. No more. In three moves the duel was decided, and Ryuu sheathed his blade.

Takako couldn’t have been more surprised. “Akio was an expert swordsman.” Her voice trailed off in shock at recent events.

Ryuu knelt down in front of her. “Takako.”

Her wandering eyes focused on him. “I am not what you think, but I will not hurt you. I can take you away from here if you wish it.”

He felt her gaze boring through him. He didn’t know what he would do if she said no. She looked at Akio’s body and back at him, trying to do the calculations in her mind.

“They will kill me if I’m here when he is found. I don’t have a choice.”

It wasn’t a yes, but it would have to be good enough. He leaned forward and cut through the straps tying her. He turned away as she found spare clothing and rubbed life back into her extremities.

“Why were you tied up?”

“He was paranoid about me trying to escape.”

With Takako freed, they found another uniform in the tent. Takako dressed quickly, hiding her hair and arranging the uniform so it revealed nothing. Ryuu threw out his sense, but there was no special commotion. The camp was active and busy even in the middle of the night. One guard was stationed outside the tent door, but he seemed to be almost asleep.

Ryuu debated cutting through the back of the tent or going through the guard. He decided it was less suspicious for the tent to be missing the guard than the tent to have a big cut in it. There were many rationalizations for a guard leaving post, fewer for the cut. Ryuu summoned the guard into the tent and knocked him unconscious.

They left the bodies and walked out casually, two guards patrolling the camp. In time they crossed the perimeter claiming to be scouts, and it was over. They walked out over the ridge Ryuu had come up through and managed to get to a safe distance to rest by the time morning light was peeking over the Pass.

Ryuu only allowed them to rest for part of a watch before he urged Takako on. The morning would bring the discovery of Akio’s body, and the manhunt would begin in earnest.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Takako followed Ryuu, blind to the events around her. The world seemed to be covered in fog, its ways impenetrable to her vision. She didn’t think, couldn’t think. Too much had happened in too short a time. All because of some innocent letters to a boy.

When Akio had found them in her rooms at Madame’s in New Haven she had been both terrified and excited. Excited by the mere chance Akio would void their contract, terrified at what the alternatives may be. When Akio had taken her, without any fight from anyone, Takako’s heart sank beneath an ocean of resignation. Something had seemed so special about Ryuu, but he had not come to her aid at the very moment that she needed him the most. She didn’t blame him, she had just hoped he would have been more than he seemed. It was a foolish hope.

When she adapted she found it was nicer not to have any hope. Where there was hope there was sorrow at hope unrealized. But when there was none, when there was only one path forward, it was easy to cope. It was easier not to choose. Easier not to dream.

Akio challenged every shred of dignity and optimism Takako possessed. She had thought her first time would be meaningful. It had been such a deal in the house. He had taken her roughly on their first night. Takako had studied the art of love-making for cycles in Madame’s house, but none of it meant anything when her time came. There was no foreplay, no conversation, nothing resembling even the fake love that permeated Madame’s house. He simply ripped off her clothes and rammed himself inside of her until he was finished. When he was done he put his clothes back on and left the tent. Guards came in immediately to tie her up, regardless of whether or not she was clothed. She had learned to dress quickly when Akio left.

Madame had told her about men like Akio, but Takako had never believed her. They thrived on the power they exerted over others. There was no reason for Akio to tie her up. They were in the middle of an army encampment. There was no place that she could possibly go. But it was an exercise in power.

She was fed well and allowed to take care of herself. Besides being tied up almost constantly and having to deal with Akio, her life wasn’t difficult. Akio didn’t change. He never tried to get to know her or start any sort of relationship. It felt like revenge, and her suspicions were confirmed one afternoon as she overheard him talking to the guards before they came in to tie her again. It was to make sure “she didn’t see other men.”

Takako had found a numb peace on their days of travel. All she had to do was spread her legs. Akio wasn’t creative enough to try anything else. She was alive, and that was enough.