and give instruction and advice in the other arts.”
Tora was shaken. He avoided staring at the other man’s body and instead glared at Ayako. A woman fighter! There were stories about such women, but he was deeply offended by the impropriety of it. Women were supposed to be weak, soft, pleasing, and accommodating to their men. Perhaps there was some excuse in this case. The father was crippled and had no son to take over, but in Tora’s view Ayako was no longer a desirable female.
When Otomi returned with the salve and tended to his split lip with tender care and many commiserating glances from her beautiful eyes, he felt completely justified in his opinion of her sister.
Ayako handed him a cup of wine and said quietly, “My father is the best archer in the province. No one can beat him. Perhaps he could show you some of his techniques. At no charge, of course.”
Higekuro said modestly, “My daughter exaggerates, but yes. Allow us to show our gratitude. When the muscles went in my lower limbs, I concentrated on exercising my arms and upper body. Bending a bow and shooting at targets is good practice. When I became adept, I took on students.” He pointed to a scroll of characters hanging against the wall. “We live by those words.”
Tora blinked and nodded. He could not read.
“ ‘No Work—No Food,’“ Higekuro read. “We all work in our way, even little sister. She paints and is very good at it. After the day’s labors, the girls share the household duties while I make straw sandals. But enough of us. You must think us very poor hosts. How about some food for our guest, girls?”
Tora politely refused but was pressed to stay. While the daughters busied themselves with the cooking, Higekuro asked about the incident with the monks. When Tora had satisfied his curiosity, he shook his head and said, “I don’t understand it. Otomi used to visit all the temples within a day’s journey to make sketches for her paintings, but recently she has been reluctant to go. I did not know she had good reason to be afraid of monks. The Rat looks out for her, but if you hadn’t come along, he could not have helped her. I wonder what made those monks come after her.”
Tora snorted. “She’s a beauty, that’s why.”
Higekuro raised his eyebrows. “There have been complaints about young monks from the Temple of Fourfold Wisdom outside the city. I thought it was just youthful spirits, but perhaps we had better watch Otomi in the future.”
“Is it the big temple in the hills?” asked Tora.
“Yes. My daughters say it’s very beautiful. The new abbot is a great teacher. Many people travel here to hear him preach. The governor and his family, and most of the so-called good people attend his services.”
Tora was listening with only half an ear, his eyes on Otomi’s hips as she bent over the oven. “Those bastards!” he muttered. “I should’ve killed them.”
Higekuro followed his glance. “Are you a married man, Tora?”
“No. Never could afford a wife. Of course, now...” Tora decided it could not hurt to brag a little. “I serve Lord Sugawara from the capital. We just arrived.”
“Ah.” Higekuro nodded. “Your master was sent to look into the missing taxes. Don’t look surprised. That mystery is on everyone’s mind. Three times a whole tax convoy disappears— soldiers, bearers, packhorses, bag and baggage. And without a trace, if you can believe official notices.”
Tora took his eyes off Otomi and gaped at him. “How can such a thing be? It must be a lie. Do you believe it?” he asked.
“Hmm.” Higekuro looked thoughtful. “The present administration has been a good one in most respects. People will be sorry to see Lord Fujiwara go. My guess is that someone with the convoy, maybe on instructions from someone else, simply took the goods to the far north. There the bearers and soldiers were paid off and are too
Tora was shaken. He avoided staring at the other man’s body and instead glared at Ayako. A woman fighter! There were stories about such women, but he was deeply offended by the impropriety of it. Women were supposed to be weak, soft, pleasing, and accommodating to their men. Perhaps there was some excuse in this case. The father was crippled and had no son to take over, but in Tora’s view Ayako was no longer a desirable female.
When Otomi returned with the salve and tended to his split lip with tender care and many commiserating glances from her beautiful eyes, he felt completely justified in his opinion of her sister.
Ayako handed him a cup of wine and said quietly, “My father is the best archer in the province. No one can beat him. Perhaps he could show you some of his techniques. At no charge, of course.”
Higekuro said modestly, “My daughter exaggerates, but yes. Allow us to show our gratitude. When the muscles went in my lower limbs, I concentrated on exercising my arms and upper body. Bending a bow and shooting at targets is good practice. When I became adept, I took on students.” He pointed to a scroll of characters hanging against the wall. “We live by those words.”
Tora blinked and nodded. He could not read.
“ ‘No Work—No Food,’“ Higekuro read. “We all work in our way, even little sister. She paints and is very good at it. After the day’s labors, the girls share the household duties while I make straw sandals. But enough of us. You must think us very poor hosts. How about some food for our guest, girls?”
Tora politely refused but was pressed to stay. While the daughters busied themselves with the cooking, Higekuro asked about the incident with the monks. When Tora had satisfied his curiosity, he shook his head and said, “I don’t understand it. Otomi used to visit all the temples within a day’s journey to make sketches for her paintings, but recently she has been reluctant to go. I did not know she had good reason to be afraid of monks. The Rat looks out for her, but if you hadn’t come along, he could not have helped her. I wonder what made those monks come after her.”
Tora snorted. “She’s a beauty, that’s why.”
Higekuro raised his eyebrows. “There have been complaints about young monks from the Temple of Fourfold Wisdom outside the city. I thought it was just youthful spirits, but perhaps we had better watch Otomi in the future.”
“Is it the big temple in the hills?” asked Tora.
“Yes. My daughters say it’s very beautiful. The new abbot is a great teacher. Many people travel here to hear him preach. The governor and his family, and most of the so-called good people attend his services.”
Tora was listening with only half an ear, his eyes on Otomi’s hips as she bent over the oven. “Those bastards!” he muttered. “I should’ve killed them.”
Higekuro followed his glance. “Are you a married man, Tora?”
“No. Never could afford a wife. Of course, now...” Tora decided it could not hurt to brag a little. “I serve Lord Sugawara from the capital. We just arrived.”
“Ah.” Higekuro nodded. “Your master was sent to look into the missing taxes. Don’t look surprised. That mystery is on everyone’s mind. Three times a whole tax convoy disappears— soldiers, bearers, packhorses, bag and baggage. And without a trace, if you can believe official notices.”
Tora took his eyes off Otomi and gaped at him. “How can such a thing be? It must be a lie. Do you believe it?” he asked.
“Hmm.” Higekuro looked thoughtful. “The present administration has been a good one in most respects. People will be sorry to see Lord Fujiwara go. My guess is that someone with the convoy, maybe on instructions from someone else, simply took the goods to the far north. There the bearers and soldiers were paid off and are too
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