Chapter 5
1565 Words
The senior maidservant, Kana, led Aryah to another, much larger chamber and gently pushed the sliding door open a few inches.
“Miss Aryah and Miss Lani, my lord.”
“Thank you, Kana.”
The two women stepped inside and Kana slid the door shut in a soft hiss. Lord Matsuda’s private study was an oasis of cultured, understated calm.
The entrance and the opposite side consisted of bamboo sliding doors covered with white paper that was as durable as cloth. The opposite side that faced the entrance opened out into the vast landscaped garden of his estate. The sliding doors were often kept open to let in cooling breezes during humid summer weather. In the spring, the open doors revealed the fresh greenery and newly-blossoming flowers of the season. The following season also finds the doors open to showcase the brilliant red, orange and yellow leaves of autumn. Even the wintertime finds the side of his study open so he could admire the white, pristine beauty of the snow-covered landscape.
As a reflection of its owner, the study’s furnishings were elegantly simple. There were the distinctive Yashima low tables made were lacquered to show the beauty of its wood grain. Padded silk cushions in soft understated colors with subtle but cleverly rendered designs incorporated in the woven fabrics were placed in various cozy corners of the study. The walls were adorned with magnificent ink-wash scroll paintings. A tall cylindrical lamp covered in a thick paper shade embossed with linear floral designs stood in a corner. A painted screen stood in another part of the study, its gold leaf background casting a gentle subtle glow.
No wonder Aryah and Lani felt relaxed whenever she stepped inside this room. Until now.
“Ah, you have fully recovered, I see,” Lord Matsuda smiled. Almost 20 years have passed since they last met each other, and the Yashima nobleman has aged quite a lot. He was greyer, more wrinkly-skinned. But his eyes remained as keen and as lively as before.
Aryah placed her palms flat in front of her and made a graceful bow in the traditional Yashima manner. Lani also did the same. “It is all thanks to you and your kind generosity, Lord Matsuda.”
“And it is a great honor to have you and Lani as part of my household … Your Highness.”
Aryah smiled. “I am no longer a princess, Lord Matsuda.”
“But you still have the bearing of one.”
“My family would disagree with you, if they would ever hear of it.”
“Ah, but there is very little chance of them knowing about it. And if I may speak so frankly, they probably won’t exert much effort to - investigate things more deeply,” the old lord gently spoke.
Aryah sighed sadly while Lani gently patted her arm. Despite everything, she still loved them all. Including her strict, unyielding mother.
“Pray, have a seat. We have much to discuss.” Lord Matsuda indicated one of the seat cushions arranged in front of him. With surprising ease, the two ladies sat down gracefully on two of the cushions in a kneeling position.
“Thank you, my lord.” Without a signal, another maidservant stepped forward from behind the screen with a tea tray and set it precisely on the center of a low table between them. After making a customary bow, the servant left the study just as silently as she came.
“Please help yourself, if you like,” the old man invited her. Aryah smiled and poured 3 cups for them all, serving one to Lord Matsuda and her companion first before pouring her own cup.
The aged aristocrat was secretly pleased by the gesture. She behaves more like a woman of this land than a Westerner … ah, Master Gorō, you sly fox …
Aryah took a slow leisurely sip of the tea, quietly savoring its gentle, herbal taste.
“What do you remember, child?” Lord Matsuda asked.
The young woman put down her cup and took a deep breath.
“I wasn’t able to discover who were the ones who kidnapped me because I never got a good look at them. I went out for my usual early morning walk in one of the open-air pavilions of the arbor, when someone crept up from behind me and a thick cloth bag was thrown over my head. My arms were twisted behind me and bound with a rope.”
“My goodness! How barbaric of them! Did you have any idea how many they were?”
“I was able to make out that there were only two of them. They were able to drag me out somewhere far from your estate. But to where, I do not know. The cloth bag not only covered my eyes, but it also muffled most sounds. I do know they were arguing with each other.”
“Were you able to make out anything from what you heard, child?”
“All I could remember was that I was not to be harmed when I was going to be sent to whoever ordered them to kidnap me.”
“Do you recall any name they mentioned?”
Aryah knit her brows as she tried to recollect what happened. “One of them mentioned a baron. But I can’t remember the name.”
“Why is that?”
“I put up a fierce struggle as they were carrying me away. In anger, one of them slapped my face several times. He even punched me on my stomach so hard, I felt dizzy and saw stars. I’m so sorry I couldn’t recall the name, Lord Matsuda.”
The old man fixed Aryah an intense stare. The stare wasn’t one of anger or outrage, but more of a deep scrutiny and anxiety.
After a moment, he spoke. “Do you remember what happened afterwards?”
“The one who slapped me suddenly left. I think he went off to look for something. The other one who held me was left behind. After a while, I suddenly felt him suddenly gone. It was as if he suddenly vanished. And then the ropes that bound me suddenly fell away from me and someone lifted the cloth bag from my head.”
“I see. Did you take a good look at the person who rescued you?”
Aryah shook her head. “No. He was dressed in black and his face was covered so I couldn’t make out any of his features. He also wore a small conical hat. But he was very polite, and said I was safe. But …”
“But what, child?” the aged aristocrat prodded gently.
“I, I was rather shaken by what happened next. One of the injured kidnappers was still alive. And he … he … er, walked over to him and stabbed him dead at the back of his neck with a short sword. What happened after that I couldn’t forget.”
“And what was that?”
“The smell of blood before I passed out.”
Lord Matsuda shrugged. “That is how it is, child. You see, I hired him. His name is Kai, and he is what we call here a shinobi, one who is hired to undertake … special tasks, for me.”
“Special tasks, my lord?”
The old man sighed. “There are times my family needed the services of certain people who can be relied upon. These are tasks that are often highly confidential in nature and therefore require much discretion. These tasks have included espionage, infiltration - and assassinations.”
“So you were the one who sent the man who rescued me?”
“The Yamanoha shinobi clan have served my family loyally for several generations. Kai has been nicknamed the Devil’s Assassin, but that is because he is the best of them and is very reliable.”
Aryah fell silent as she digested Lord Matsuda’s revelations.
“I hope I haven’t upset you, child.”
“No,” the young woman replied. “On the contrary, I think he sounds like a remarkable person.”
“And why do you say that?”
“I guess it is because such a job requires someone who is extraordinary.” Lani angled a look of puzzlement at her.
“Extraordinary, eh?” Lord Matsuda mused. “But he has been an assassin nearly all his life and was trained at a very young age, so I heard. I doubt if he would see himself in such a positive light, like you just did.”
Aryah smiled. “But most people who are truly extraordinary never see themselves in that way, my lord. It takes an exceptional character to be able to do what someone like him can do. If there is some way you could send him my thanks for what he did, I will be in your debt once again.”
Lord Matsuda gave her a grandfatherly grin. “There is a deep truth in your words. I will let him know what you said.”
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