Samurai Son Read Free Page A

it tell Nanashi?”   Kasumi felt her stomach clench as fear gripped her.
    Keiko sighed.   “My guess is the demon didn’t see fit to tell Nanashi, but that may change.”
    “Mother, the demon told Nanashi of the demon gate.   The demon wants Nanashi to kill our clan.”
    Another silence followed.
    “No,” whispered Keiko.   “No.”
    “Mother?”   Kasumi gripped her mother’s arm.
    Keiko shook her head.   “Go get cleaned up, Daughter.   I must talk to Isamu, who can tell us what we must do.”   She turned and led Kasumi through the apartment halls to the door to the bathhouse.   “Do not say anything about this.   I must talk to Isamu first.”
    Kasumi nodded and left the apartment.

Chapter Four
     
    Akira sat on the hill overlooking the town of Yutsui.   Below him lay the terraced rice fields and, above that, the tea terraces.   He sat silently, watching the farmers and peasants working for their living.   He envied their lives.   Their day and the type of work they did was prescribed by their class.   Unlike samurai, who could not own the land, the farmers were landowners and their livelihood assured, barring war, famine, or disease.   Not so with the samurai.   For even a son of a daimyo, like Akira, was not guaranteed his holdings or his importance.   The emperor could take all away with a decree.
    He rubbed his arms and legs where Rokuro had given him bruises.   His leg still stung from Rokuro’s bo, and he wished he could make the pain stop.   Why was Rokuro so rough on him?   Why did the old sensei insist on forcing him past his limit?   What was the point?   He closed his eyes and let the afternoon sun warm his face.   Maybe if he stayed up here for a while and no one could find him, Rokuro wouldn’t look for him to start his afternoon lesson.
    As he closed his eyes, he heard the distinct caw of a crow.   He looked up to see the black bird sitting in a stray pine tree on the path.   He smiled.   The crow was the bird of the sun goddess, Amaterasu.   Perhaps the goddess pitied him.   The crow tilted its head and hopped down from one branch to another.   It cocked its head as if considering him.
    “Sorry, crow, but I have nothing to give to you,” Akira said.   “I didn’t bring any rice cakes with me today.”
    The bird ruffled its feathers in response.   Akira laughed.
    The bird hopped down to the ground.   Akira watched as the bird boldly strutted up to him and considered him with its bright yellow eyes.   It then cocked its head, and Akira heard a voice in his mind.
    You are injured, the creature observed.
    Akira stared at the crow.   “Y—yes…”
    Why?
    Now Akira felt befuddled.   The bird was obviously supernatural, but he didn’t know what to think.   He tried to remember old legends his mother taught him about birds, but for some reason, they seemed to be lacking.   “I didn’t do well in training today.”
    Training?
    “Yes, I’m samurai.   I am supposed to know how to fight.”
    Ah, perhaps the problem you have is easily fixed.   I could show you.
    Akira almost laughed.   How could a bird possibly help him?   He couldn’t imagine the little crow would know anything.   But, he reminded himself, this was obviously some sort of kami and he should show respect to it.   “You would show me how to…?”
    I could show you the proper way to use a bokken.
    Akira nodded.   He couldn’t imagine that he could get into trouble with that.   “All right.   What do I need to do?”
    Follow me.   With that, the bird flitted to the next tree up the mountain.
    Akira groaned as he pulled himself up from sitting.   His legs were stiff and sore, and he limped a little as he walked up the path.   The bird waited patiently for him and took off once he reached the tree, up toward the mountain.   He groaned again.   The walk would be tedious and painful.   It would be easier to trudge back down to the training yard and endure another round of