Free Samurai Son by M. H. Bonham

ship and noise of the crew.
    Thank Maneki Neko, she thought as she slowly stretched.   They were near the island of Tsuitori.   She would be glad to be on land again.   A ship was no place for a cat.
    She got up, not bothering to change her clothes.   She had not vomited on herself, and she thanked the goddess that she had kept clean enough to not have to bathe again.   She unlatched the door and peered out of her room.
    Kasumi didn’t need to look to know that the crewmen busied themselves preparing to make port.   There was a small port on the western part of the island, not far from where Takeshi Ikumi lived.   Kasumi hoped Ikumi would be able to help her.
    But there would be the charade.   She would have to visit the temple, and she would have to put up with Jiro’s mocking behavior.   She sighed and left the cabin.   She hoped she could get help before the demon attacked her.

Chapter Sixteen
     
    “Where have you been?” Rokuro repeated.
    Akira stammered, “I—I...”
    Rokuro looked him over.   The sensei’s gaze fell on the two samurai swords in Akira’s belt.   “Where did you get those?”
    Akira couldn’t see any reason to lie to Rokuro, except to leave out the part about the Tengu.   “I went for a walk and was training with my bo when this ronin attacked me.”
    “Ronin?”   Rokuro frowned.   “We just received word that a bandit had robbed and killed some peasants on the other side of the island.   I suddenly realized we didn’t know where you were...”
    “I defeated him with my bo.”   Akira smiled.   “I tied him up and took his swords.”
    Rokuro frowned again.   “You didn’t kill him?”
    Akira stared.   “I had knocked him out.   It would’ve been dishonorable to kill the man.”
    Before Akira could react, Rokuro smacked him on the head.   “You stupid boy!”
    Akira reeled from the blow, barely catching himself with the staff.   He looked up through eyes filled with tears from the pain.   “What did I do?”
    “The man is ronin; you should’ve killed him.”
    “Why?   I had knocked him out, and he wouldn’t hurt anyone tied up.”
    Rokuro glowered.   “Ropes can be evaded.   You would’ve given him an honorable death had you done what you were supposed to.   Now we must find him and kill him before he kills others.”
    Rokuro stalked off, leaving Akira rubbing his head where Rokuro struck him.   As he fought tears, hot anger welled up inside him.   He didn’t understand why Rokuro thought it necessary to kill the ronin.   It wasn’t honorable to kill a man whom he had knocked out; that much he was certain of.   And if the man somehow got free of the knots, Akira doubted the ronin could do much without his swords.
    Rokuro had turned to talk to one of the many ashigaru in the formation.   Akira found himself growing angry at Rokuro’s response.   Why should I kill that man? Akira thought.   He wasn’t able to harm anyone once I was done with him.
    “Akira!”   Rokuro’s voice sliced through his reverie.   “Quit daydreaming and tell me where you left him.”
    Akira frowned.   He didn’t really want to tell anyone of his special place, but he couldn’t see a way out.   “He’s at the top of the hill overlooking the tea terraces.”
    Rokuro looked at him strangely.   “Were you in the pines?”
    Akira felt a lump of dread settle in his throat.   “Yes, I was just looking for a quiet place.   It’s nice and cool on that mountain.”
    Rokuro frowned.   “Did you see anything unusual?”
    Akira felt his heart race.   If he gave away the Tengu, he would surely not be able to train with the kami anymore.   “No.   Other than the ronin, I haven’t seen anything or anyone.”
    Rokuro snorted, obviously not believing him.   The old sensei turned to the ashigaru.   “You come with me, and bring some men.   We may need them to take care of the ronin.”
    Akira turned to leave but felt Rokuro’s viselike hands on his