Excerpt from "Cherry Blossoms and Snowflakes"

Shinjuku castle stood out in stark relief to its rocky surroundings. It had been constructed as the region’s administrative and military headquarters and was now the residence for the ruling warlord Tomomasu, his lords and retainers who had seized it from its previous occupants. The castle's highly developed defense systems included a stone wall that surrounded the complex and several moats. A maze of internal walkways were included in the original design to mislead enemy invaders as were special hiding places for warriors, windows through which arrows could be fired and chutes through which to pouring boiling oil, and countless storehouses for arrows and weaponry. The warlord’s samurai lived in the nearby town and the higher the samurai’s rank, the closer his residence to the castle.

Located in Japans Hyogo prefecture, it was an impressive castle complex made up of many different sized buildings set on the top of Mt. Kikuchi. Constructed in 1581 on the site of a 14th century fortress it was considered a key defensive position by the ruling Tokugawa shogunate.

Consistent with popular Zen aesthetics, Shinjuku castle also had beautifully landscaped gardens that were well maintained. The karesansui style of gardening was popular and was a "dry style" in which sand was used to represent the ocean, rocks, the surrounding hillsides and islands. The garden included a tea house that was considered an ideal place for meditation in the Zen belief.

Ponds were also present to represent oceans. Bridges were included to provide new perspectives and shrubs and trees were also an essential part to the garden’s landscape.

The beautiful setting belied the true evil residing within.
……………………………………………………o……………………………………….

Keiko looked up from where she was kneeling on the floor and stared Tomomasu directly in the eyes. "I will never marry you! Even if I live to be 200 years old I will never marry you!" She knew that her survival depended upon her displaying a balance of defiance and subjugation.

"You will marry me" said Tomomasu, his voice as cold as winter winds, his hand stroking the wispy grey beard dangling from the end of his chin. "I am Warlord. I am the supreme military commander in charge here and I say what will happen and what will not happen. I say who will live and who will die. If I say you will marry me, you will do as you are told!"

Keiko fought hard to hold back the tears that were welling in her red eyes. This was the man who had ruthlessly and mercilessly murdered her father, the Daimyo lord, her brothers and members of her household just days before. The remaining members of the household had been banished from the prefecture in that they lived and told never to return or they would be killed. Keiko realised that her life was now in the hands of this monster, this animal who would stop at nothing to get whatever he wanted.

Keiko's life had been turned completely upside down in the past few days. She had gone from being Lady Ayama to the warlord's prisoner in the blink of an eye. He was twice her age, had taken her prisoner and now he wanted to marry her so that their two families would be united. If that were to happen he would become the hereditary commander of the Japanese army who exercised absolute rule under the nominal leadership of the Emperor just like her father had done. His power would be immeasurable, even the Emperor would have difficulty in controlling him. Keiko did not know what she was going to do, but she did know that she would rather die than let that happen.

"Guards!" commanded Tomomasu, "Take her back to her room and make sure she stays there". With that, he stood up from his throne, gathered up his black and white light cotton yukata robe and marched out of the hall with some of his lords and retainers. The captain of the house guard and two of Tomomasu's personal guard still dressed in battle armour came and held Keiko roughly by each of her arms. They manhandled her in a rough manner not befitting her high station and forced her back to the tatami room where she had been taken from only 15 minutes before.

On arriving at the room Keiko was forced inside and the doors were slid closed. Through the shoji rice paper screen wall she could see the outline of the two warriors and she knew that any attempt to escape would be futile and would certainly lead to her demise. Quietly and with great composure she went and knelt at the Shinto shrine in the corner of the room and began to pray for the spirits of her family and ancestors. Although it was not yet Obon, the Festival of the Dead, Keiko felt some relief in making a spiritual connection with her dead family. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she also petitioned both the Buddhist and Shinto deities for their favour.

Time passed and the light outside began to dim. When Keiko had finished her prayers, she went and knelt on the mat near an open window and watched the outline of a sparrow hovering among the flowers. The scent of the blossoms wafted through the opening soothing her. Outside, in the night, the sounds of insects could be heard starting their nocturnal orchestra.

How peaceful it all appears, Keiko reflected, just like the rivers and streams before Tomomasu and his army brought death into my home.

I must escape from here, she thought. I cannot and I will not let this man marry me and take everything that was my family's. Everything that we held so dear.

She wondered if she would ever again be able to practice Chado, the tea ceremony. She wondered whether other gentle pursuits such as learning to appreciate arts and crafts, poetry, and Shodoh calligraphy, ikebana flower arranging, dancing, cooking and caring for a garden had also all been stolen from her by that tyrant. She wondered at the same time if she could ever return to instilling in herself the grace, selflessness and attentiveness to the needs of others that made her part of who she truly was meant to be as Lady Ayama.

Outside the darkness continued to steal the light. In the distance a taiko drum boomed like rolling thunder.

………………………………………………..o…………………………………………

Keiko was asleep when the guard changed at midnight. The two warriors who had brought her back to her room were relieved by a single warrior. The warrior took up position in the hallway with his back to the shoji screen. She stirred slightly at the noise when he came and partially opened her eyes for a brief moment to observe what seemed to be a puppet theatre taking place as two of the shadows reflecting on the screen wall moved away leaving only the outline of a single warrior and his lance.

A while later however Keiko did not stir from her slumber as a different puppet theatre played out on the other side of the screen. Had she been looking she would have observed a black shadow moving swiftly and silently across the screen unnoticed by the guard. Had she been awake she would have been surprised at how this new shadow set itself upon the guards shadow and how the guard appeared to quickly succumb and melt into the floor without a struggle.

She did awake with a start though when the screen door to her room slid back. "Lady Ayama. Come quickly. This way" urged the black shadow with a male voice that sounded familiar and friendly to Keiko.

"Who are you?" she asked with a stunned voice.

"I am your humble servant, come to take you away to safety" said the black shadow. "Please Lady Ayama. Come. We must go before we are discovered."

Keiko needed no more urging. She was quickly on her feet and stepped into the hallway outside the room. The black shadow dragged the unconscious guard inside the room and slid the screen door closed behind him.

"This way Lady" said the black shadow pointing in the direction from which he had come.

Together they made their way in the dark. I know this person Keiko thought, I know this voice. Who is it? she wondered.

……………………………………………….o……………………………………………

Takahashi moved slowly across the floor. He felt his way gently in the darkness, searching and probing with his feet for that part of the floor that could take their weight and not squeak and give their presence away. Dressed in a black tunic from head to toe and wearing a black hood and mask as well as carrying a katana or long sword, a shorter wakizashi sword and tanto dagger, he looked more like a deadly assassin than a former household servant in the Ayama clan. He moved silently making no sound. It was as if he floated through the air. Behind him Keiko moved with all the grace of a cat, her white silk kimono making small rustling sounds as she walked.

In the distance, through an open door and in the faint dawn light a sparrow could be seen alighting on the branch of the cherry blossom tree. Now, at the start of spring the blossoms were starting to appear. Spring Festival would be here soon and there would be celebrations throughout the whole of feudal Japan to celebrate the birth of the new season and year.

"Move quickly" said Takahashi "If we are caught we will surely be executed."

He could hear the beating of the sparrow's wings even from this distance. He had been trained well in his childhood to hear everything in the forests and the mountains where he grew up. Such were the teachings of "The Way". The slopes of Mount Shiranui had been steep and the forests had been thick and he had trained both in the daytime and at night. As a result he had been able to run at full speed through forests in the dead of night and feel his way through the trees. While he had been training in the art of "the Way" he has also learnt its elements including Ninjitsu, the way of a ninja, Bushido, the way of a samurai, Kendo, the way of the sword and Kyudo, the way of archery. His spiritual teachings had included Shinto, Buddhism and Zen. He had learnt to listen to the night creatures and to identify the individual sounds that they made. He had also learnt shapeshifting that had allowed him to come upon an animal silently with stealth and to embody that creature so that they would not be afraid of him. He had learnt to communicate with the animals and birds. Such were the skills and teachings of"The Way".

And so it was now as the dawn was breaking and the light from the rising sun had not yet entered the building where Keiko, the daughter of his former lord and master, had been held prisoner that he found himself tiptoeing across the matting floor. Takahashi knew that the floor of this Shinto temple had been set with traps in such a way as to alert the guards of anyone's presence in the night.

"Step lightly" he whispered to Keiko "walk on the sides of your feet and near the edge of the wall" he urged. "Step where I step to avoid the trip wires." Keiko complied sensing the urgency in his voice.

"I am afraid" she whispered, her soft voice trembling. "I fear that they will catch us "

"They will not catch us" he whispered quietly, his lips close to her ears. "I will not let that happen. You will be safe with me" he said softly "Come, take my hand. I will lead you out of this temple. Soon we will be outside this temple and the palace and then it is only the outer walls that we must pass to gain our freedom."

"Who are you?" asked Keiko without fear as she knew she was in safe hands.

Takahashi pulled down his mask revealing his face. Keiko stepped back in astonishment.

"Takahashi! It is you! Why are you dressed like that? What are you doing here?" her voice one of amazement.

Keiko took his hand and he led her as he continued feeling his way across the floor. "Why did you come back?" she asked. "The warlord told all of the servants that if he ever saw your faces again at Shinjuku Palace he would have you executed"

"I could not just leave you here to suffer the indignity of having to marry a man who feels that he must steal what he wants" he said. Takahashi saw that they were nearly at the open doorway to the walkway that led across the lily pond to the teahouse on the other side. "I may only be a half caste and appointed as a servant in your father’s household" he said with pain in his voice "but you are royalty to your people and I cannot just let you be taken as a prize in some land war".

"But my father's house was destroyed" Keiko's voice carried the emotion of a memory that would never be erased. "All of my father's people, his servants, his household, his armies, his vassals all destroyed. There is nothing left." Her voice broke as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Not all" replied Takahashi. "There are people left, farmers, vassals, some of your father's household, a major portion of his armies that were away fighting for the Emperor in the West.

There are more than enough to take back what is rightfully yours" he said firmly.

"But who will lead these people" asked Keiko. "There are no more men in my father's household. My brothers were killed in the battles and raids".

"You will lead them" said Takahashi "You will lead your people away from the grip of this tyrant".

"But I am only a woman" Keiko could not believe what Takahashi was suggesting. "Nobody will follow me"

"Yes they will" said Takahashi with conviction in his voice. "Not only will they follow you, but a group of people who you thought were once your enemies will also follow you "

Who?" asked Keiko puzzled. "Who are these people that you talk of?"

"The people from the Tribes" said Takahashi looking her directly in the eyes " the Tribes have already sworn their allegiance to your father's household and to you"

"But this is not possible" an astonished Keiko replied. "The people from the Tribes are completely independent and it is said that they live outside established Japanese law. They live in the valleys and on the side of the mountains away from the cities. It is said they are highly trained and skilled in the arts of warfare and have mystical powers and can do things that other humans cannot."

"This is true" he said "but they only shun oppressors like Tomomasu who do not let them practice their skills in peace. Now they wish to put their skills to good use for you."

"But why would they help me?" Keiko's eyes were wide in disbelief.

"It is very simple." He replied. "There was once a time, long, long ago when your father helped the Tribes."

The sparrow's wings sounded louder now as they stepped out into the light. Takahashi looked to his left and to his right and could see no guards. The first rays of the sun were breaking over the wall and the temperature had risen a couple of degrees. Soon the mist would start to disappear, their cover and camouflage would be gone. They would have to hurry if they were to make it over the wall before they were discovered.

"What happened?" asked Keiko. She could not believe what she was hearing. The Tribes were not known for revealing their identity to anyone nor asking anyone's help. They preferred to live their lives away from the cities so that they could practice their skills and their powers. It was well-known in the cities that people were afraid of the Tribes. There had been many folk tales over the hundreds of years that they had lived away from civilization, tales about religious beliefs, ceremonies, mystical practices, spiritual teachings and all manner of things that have long since been outlawed by the warlord.

"Many years ago a leader of the Tribes was caught by the warlord’s men" ventured Takahashi. "They had tracked him and brought him down from the mountains where they had stalked him and trapped him and then they brought him to one of the towns in your father's prefecture.

There they tried to humiliate him and put him in a cattle cage in the middle of the town for all to see. They intended to put him on trial and have him executed under charges that had been falsely made by the warlord's men. When your father found out about the tribal leaders existence he ordered some of his trusted personal guard to go to the cage in the middle of the night and release the tribal leader and escort him safely back to the forest."

"But why would my father do that?" asked Keiko. She could not start to imagine why her father would release someone the Warlord considered to be an outlaw.

"Because your father knew that the tribal leader was innocent and that the charges were to be falsely laid by Tomomasu" said Takahashi. As he spoke he did reconnaissance of the stone bridge that led over the lily pond to a patch of grass on the bank beyond. He knew that once they reached the green grass on the other side they would climb up onto the roof of the teahouse and be able to reach the top of the stone outer wall of the Warlords summer palace.

"Your father was not convinced that the people from the Tribes were outlaws. He believed that they had been marginalized because of their special talents and powers and had been forced to live in hiding so that they would not be persecuted. The warlord was led to believe that the people from the Tribes had come to liberate their leader and had never found out about your father's involvement."

"But why would the people of the Tribes come to our aid now?" questioned Keiko.

"Because the people of the Tribes never forget a debt. Your father helped the Tribes and the people of the Tribes have been waiting for many years to repay this debt"

"How do you know all this?" Keiko could not understand how Takahashi could know this story. After all, they were both the same age. Takahashi had been placed into her father's household as a servant when he was 12. Since then he had not been away from their Ayama Castle or the Aichi Prefecture except for once every six months when he was released to visit his aging grandmother who lived in the countryside. If this had happened many years ago then they both would have been children at the time. "How do you know this story and how do you know that the Tribes will help my father's household now?"

"Because when I was a boy my father told me about the story of what happened to him years ago. He also told me last night that it was time for us to repay our debt to you and your family." Takahashi looked at Keiko. The look on her face was one of amazement. He had always loved the way she looked. The alabaster complexion, her raven black hair worn up exposing her neckline which was considered by the Japanese to be one of the most beautiful parts of a woman. Takahashi agreed with this thinking as he viewed her slender white neck. The white silk kimono with the dyed outlines of cherry blossoms and snowflakes styled in red and black. Her lips matched the red color on her kimono.

"Your father, he is the tribal leader? They are the same person?" Keiko sounded astonished.

"Hurry, we must not delay any longer." He took her hand again and led her across the stone bridge.

"But how? How could you, the son of a tribal leader be in my father’s service undiscovered for so long?"

"Because it was arranged that way when I was a child. I was given the obligation of protecting you and also reporting information to my father so that he could make sure that your father was always protected and safe. I had already trained in the art of The Way before I joined your household. Every few months when you thought I was visiting my grandmother I was actually seeing my father and honing more skills with him. Unfortunately, my father did not foresee the recent trickery of the Warlord and was powerless to save your father. For this, my father feels very sad and even more in your debt".

When they had crossed the bridge they arrived in the small patch of grass. White swans scattered and fled into the pond. Takahashi and Keiko ran quickly and took up a position behind the teahouse. Takahashi checked the way they had come to make sure that no guards had discovered their presence. Satisfied, he scouted the outer wall to make sure it was safe to cross.

"You lived in our house and spied on us? Is that an honorable thing to do? " Keiko ventured.

"There is a difference between spying and swearing and oath to protect someone" Takahashi sounded hurt in his response. "My father gave me this honour before I joined your household"

"An honour?" Keiko sounded surprised. "You call swearing and oath to protect me an honour?"

Takahashi knew that he had moved into dangerous territory in this discussion. How could he tell her the feelings he had for her in his heart? How could he, a half caste from the Tribes, tell her that he had fallen in love with her the first day he had seen her at the age of 12. How could he tell her that he had made a decision then that he would devote his life to her and if the time came he would gladly give up his life for her? He hoped that the time to offer his life had not come in this dawn light.

"Stay here" he whispered, as he moved away from the teahouse to the centre of the grassy knoll.

Keiko could not believe what she saw next. Takahashi seemed to step through the air as if the air had solid form. One moment he had been on the grass and the next he had floated through the air and was standing on the roof of the teahouse.

"How did you do that? What are you? " she asked with an astonished voice.

"I am just a man. The teachings of The Way are many and varied," he said." This is but one of them". He reached down from the roof and extended his arm to her. "Lady Ayama" his voice was soft and gentle. "Please take my hand with both of yours."

She did as she was asked and he lifted her effortlessly onto the roof of the teahouse and set her down by his side. His strength both suprised and pleased her. They stood there a moment and looked deeply into each other's eyes. He loved her hazel eyes, and the shape of her nose and lips. How could he possibly ever tell her that he loved her this much?

"Takahashi san" a voice said through the mist. Takahashi and Keiko both turned together and saw two black forms in black tunics their faces covered by masks, laying on top of the stone outer wall.

"Akira. Kaiichi. What is our current status?" asked Takahashi.

"We have horses outside the wall" said one of the men. "Your father waits outside the city. He sent us to help you after he had discovered you missing last night. He knew where you had gone."

"Assist Lady Ayama" he ordered "Help her over the wall while I ensure your escape". As he spoke these words, loud noises could be heard inside the temple. Shouts could also be heard.

Alarm bells started to ring. Tomomasu could be seen rounding a far corner of the temple with a band of his warriors just as other armed soldiers burst through the same door of the temple through which they had just came.

"We have been discovered" Takahashi spoke directly to his two companions "Take Lady Ayama. Help her over the wall. Take her to my father. Go." he commanded.

"But Takahashi" said one of his companions "There are many soldiers. Come, let us all try to escape"

"Someone must stay behind to slow them down. Take her. Go now" His voice left no doubt that he expected them to do what he asked of them.

"Takahashi! Do not stay here. I am afraid for you" pleaded Keiko. Tears forming again in her sad eyes. A droplet running down her cheek and falling onto her kimono.

"Go now. Please Lady. Go now while you still can. My life will be worthless if anything should happen to you. Escape with these two men and give me a reason to live. Please. Go. Please."

Akira leaned over and took Keiko’s arm. "Please excuse me for touching you Lady. But we must hurry and I must help you over the wall".

Keiko accepted Akira’s help and stepped out on to the outer wall where the two men from the Tribes lowered her down to the ground level outside the walls. The two men dropped silently to the ground at her side and immediately helped her onto one of the horses. They both swept up on to their own horses and with one kick spurred the three mounts off down the dirt road towards freedom. Behind her, on the other side of the wall, Keiko could hear the sounds of shouting and chaos.

I pray to the spirits of my ancestors she thought, please keep him safe. Please do not let him die this day. It was then that Keiko realised the birth of her feelings for Takahashi. How could she possibly live if anything should happen to him?

The three riders disappeared into the dawn mist, the sounds of battle beginning behind them.

……………………………………………………….o……………………………………

Takahashi picked up the bamboo yumi or bow that he had left earlier on the roof of the teahouse. The bow seemed to come alive in his hands. Being new it was strong and full of energy. With its simplicity and clean lines the bamboo yumi was unsurpassed in beauty and elegance. He had also left a quiver of yadake, bamboo arrows fletched with eagle and hawk feathers together with the yumi. Taking careful aim and steadying his breathing he loosed the first of the arrows upon the enemy. The arrow became one with its target as the first of Tomomasu's warriors fell to the ground.

Takahashi knew that he would not be able to keep the warriors at bay for a long, but he hoped to slow their progress down long enough for Keiko and his two companions to escape to safety.

He kept a steady stream of arrows firing at the approaching warriors, some of whom were beginning to take cover behind the low stone walls surrounding the grassy knoll. He heard a thud just below where he was kneeling in his archer’s stance and saw the first of the enemy's arrows that were beginning to be loosed in his direction. The aim of the enemy was not as keen as that of Takahashi and even though he was only one man against many, his arrows were finding their mark with extreme accuracy while most of his opponents arrows sailed harmlessly by. Even as one of his opponent’s arrows found its mark and hit him in his right shoulder, he kept his steady stream of arrows raining down upon his enemy. At first he did not notice the arrow or feel the pain, it was only when he noticed that he had to adjust his aim to compensate for a slight miscalculation when releasing his last arrow that he noticed what had happened.

Undeterred, he kept firing.

"Bring him down!" commanded Tomomasu, "Kill him! I want him dead!" he screamed at the top of his voice. His archers increased the rate of their fire while other troops raced forward in a hope of scaling the teahouse and getting to Takahashi.

Takahashi could see that the battle would soon be over. He could see that the sheer number of the warlords' soldiers would soon overwhelm him. His stash of arrows was running low and he soon knew that it would be over. He prayed to his gods that Keiko had reached safety. It will have been worth dying to know that she is safe, he thought. If she is safe, my life will not have been wasted.

The first of Tomomasu's warriors had reached the base of the teahouse and started to scale the structure and get to Takahashi. As the first of the warriors was helped onto the shoulders of others, the warrior let out a deadly scream and fell backwards and landed in a crumpled heap on the ground, an arrow protruding from his neck. Takahashi looked up and saw the sky full of arrows raining down amongst Tomomasu's warriors. It was as if the Gods were raining thunder and lightning down upon them. Takahashi looked in the direction from which the arrows had come and saw many black archers in the trees outside the walls of the castle. He heard a noise behind him and looked around to see both Akira and Kaiichi on top of the wall in the same positions as they had been previously. Not only were his two companions there but also dozens of similarly dressed and equipped forms cresting the top of the wall and dropping down inside the palace grounds and then hurrying to engage the enemy. These members of the Tribe were masters at their craft and engaged their ill equipped opponents who had not had time to properly prepare earlier for the pursuit of Keiko and Takahashi. Soon Tomomasu's soldiers were being cut down by both men and women dressed in black and wielding double handed swords, hand axes, deadly hand claws that slashed, maimed and killed, and helmet breakers with hooks to catch under the opponents armour.

Takahashi's two friends jumped across the gap from the wall to the roof of the teahouse and help their courageous leader who was beginning to become affected by his wounds.

"Takahashi san" said Kaiichi "Come, let us help you. You have done enough fighting for one day".

With that, Takahashi allowed his companions to assist him into the waiting arms of other members of the Tribe who were eagerly waiting on top of the wall who gently lowered Takahashi to others below outside the castle walls. Soon he was being assisted onto the back of a jet black stallion and was being spirited away with five of his clan riding around him to ensure his safety. He was only barely able to hang on to his steed as consciousness escaped him and he slumped forward in his saddle, the reins wrapped around his wrists holding him in position as his body swayed dangerously close to falling as he was spirited to safety.