The Demon and the Nightingale

Chapter 10

            “For many generations, the Yamanoha shinobis have enjoyed the long and fruitful patronage and support of the Matsuda clan,” Master Gorō continued. “But what would happen if that were to end right here and now?”

            Those who remained in the audience hall of the secret hideout of the Yamanoha ninja clan were suddenly silent. It was the silence of one who came to an altogether unexpected - but very disturbing realization.

            “Any problems or quarrels within the Matsuda clan, Master Gorō?” someone from the assembly asked.

            “What do you think? What else could possibly cause this?” the Yamanoha elder asked. It wasn’t just in reply to the one who asked. It was also addressed to each and everyone in the audience. Especially to Kai.

            The silence of the audience changed, becoming the silence of those who now are now pondering an uncertain, and potentially evil, future.

            Kai lowered his head. He had a pretty good idea how that future might be - and what may bring it about.

            Master Gorō went on after some moments. “All is not completely well with the current lord and his family, particularly with the eldest and his heir, Baron Shingo. It is an open secret that both father and son don’t really get along, and they haven’t been on friendly speaking terms for quite some time. The only times they have been observed conversing with each other would be during the Matsuda clan’s annual New Year’s Day gathering. And during those times, they’ve only exchanged a few civil words of greeting. That’s all.”

            “Well, I for one can’t exactly blame Lord Matsuda’s behavior.” Another one spoke up. It was one of the kunoichi or female ninjas who posed as a waitress in one of taverns that dot another neighboring town near Lord Matsuda’s manor.

            “Aye, Nami speaks the truth,” agreed another kunoichi who sat next to Nami.

            “Pray, tell us more,” Master Gorō spoke, addressing Nami.

            “From what I’ve often overhead whenever I serve the customers at the tavern, Lord Matusda greatly disapproves of Baron Shingo’s behavior. He’s very corrupt and likes to throw his weight around. He also spends way too much time in the pleasure district with some of their most beautiful and most expensive high-class courtesans.”

            “Well, at least the pimps are happy,” a male voice heckled. A few of the man’s friends snickered.

            “Hah! Far from it, Seiji! Whenever the baron chooses to patronize a particular courtesan, he wants the girl all to himself. He threatens and bullies any potential rival, driving all the other customers away. It’s bad for their establishments in the long run. And the courtesans themselves have complained about his abusive treatment of them. It has gone to the point that the brothel madams themselves have come up with schemes to hide away their top courtesans whenever he drops by the pleasure district recently.”

            Master Gorō stood silently listening to Nami’s little speech, a grim expression on his face. The kunoicihi continued.

            “But it doesn’t just stop there. Many of the villagers also gossip about the many affairs he has had with other women, as well as the concubines he has taken and quickly discarded whenever he gets tired of them. That, or they have failed to bear him a son. Lord Matsuda wouldn’t be concerned by it if it weren’t for the fact that his son often stops at nothing to get whatever woman he wants. Bribery, extortion - even kidnapping.”

            Kidnapping ... Kai may be the Yamanoha clan’s best shinobi, but he was not exactly a fan of kidnapping. His most recent mission was proof of that.

            “Thank you for sharing with us what you know, Nami,” Master Gorō said. The woman bowed in acknowledgment and returned to her seat.

            Master Gorō addressed the assembly once again. “When there is great disharmony even within a single family, the rest of society pays the consequences. Baron Shingo’s latest shenanigans involved trying to kidnap a young lady from the lord’s own household. He paid some lowly second-class thugs to do the deed. But fortunately, we were able to quickly and discreetly put a stop to it before word got around.”

            Tatsuya angled a look at Kai. The young shinobi gave a small shrug of indifference.

            You’re as bad a liar as I am, Kai … thank your lucky stars you’re eyeing someone else …

            Tatsuya went back to chewing his grass stalk.

            “However,” Master Gorō went on, “this will put the Yamanoha clan at odds with Baron Shingo. That man may be a total degenerate, but he is no fool. I’m sure he already knows that one of our own made short work of the kidnappers he hired, and that Lord Matsuda, his very own father, had a hand in it. And he has known about our clan’s long association and loyal service to the Matsuda family.”

            “Oho! And with him being the lord’s eldest, as well as his heir, the Yamanoha clan will be in a very difficult position once he is proclaimed the next Lord Matsuda,” Master Jūzō spoke.

            “Indeed, Jūzō,” the other elder replied. “That man also knows how much more loyal we are to his father than to him.”

            “We won’t be so eager to carry out his wishes. And he won’t be so eager to trust us that much. If at all,” Master Jūzō said. “Truly, we stand before a series of dangerous crossroads with no way of knowing where to turn or which path to take.”

            “Aye. If worse comes to worse, and things may turn very ugly for us, I don’t wish for the Yamanoha clan to be involved in a confrontation with the Matsuda family.”

            Master Jūzō nodded his head. “I agree. Even if we are more than capable of holding our own in a long, drawn-out battle, turning against the very people we have loyally served for a long time leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. Spies and assassins we may be, but we are not traitors.”

            Master Gorō nodded his head as well, his eyes glinting with determination. His lips curled in a smile that was both hard and dangerous. “No, we are not.”