The Ring Of Water Part 17

'Ah! I see you've been here before,' said the priest softly, greeting Jack with a humble bow.

'No, I'm afraid not,' replied Jack. 'I actually found this and believe it belongs to someone from your temple. Perhaps you know the person who lost it?'

The priest smiled serenely and gave a gentle shake of his head. 'We sell many of these amulets,' he explained, pointing to a stall bedecked with green silk omamori omamori. 'That one could belong to any of a thousand pilgrims.'

Jack gazed at the rows upon rows of amulets, and despaired. The clue the single piece of evidence he had from his attack had come to nothing. He bowed his thanks to the priest and returned to Ronin.

The only lead remaining was the name Botan. 'How are we going to find this samurai now?'

'I'll have to ask around town,' replied Ronin, 'but it will will draw attention to us.' draw attention to us.'

'Look at this!' cried Hana.

'Shh! Please don't break the silence,' cautioned the monk beside her.

'My apologies,' replied Hana, and mutely beckoned Jack and Ronin over to a large wooden supporting post towards the rear of the great hall.

The pillar, as broad as an old oak tree, had a hole running straight through its base. As Ronin and Jack approached, Hana expressed her thanks and bowed goodbye to the monk.

'Would you believe it!' she exclaimed. 'This hole is the same size as one of the giant Buddha statue's nostrils. If you can pa.s.s through it, the G.o.ds will bestow luck upon you and you'll be blessed with enlightenment in your next life.'

'Pah!' dismissed Ronin.

Ignoring his scepticism, Hana knelt down and wriggled through the hole. She popped out the other side a moment later.

'I'm enlightened. Who's next?'

'After you, Ronin,' said Jack.

'I don't believe in the G.o.ds,' he muttered. 'And they certainly don't believe in me.'

Jack felt he had nothing to lose. Furthermore, he recalled the Riddling Monk mentioning the Buddha's Nose. This had to be it. Crouching down, he looked through the hole. It was far smaller than he'd imagined. Quickly checking no one was watching, he pa.s.sed Hana his hat and Ronin his swords before entering the narrow tunnel, arms first. Crawling along, he got about halfway when his shoulders jammed. Jack kicked with his legs, but it was no use.

'I'm stuck!' he whispered as loud as he dared.

Hana's grinning face appeared at the other end. 'Don't worry, I'll pull you through.'

Jack squirmed, his legs waggling on one side, while Hana tugged on his arms from the other. Ronin just smirked at Jack's comical predicament. With much heaving and effort, Jack inched his way through and finally shot out and on to the floor, Hana falling backwards in a fit of smothered giggling.

'That had better be worth it,' panted Jack.

As he got to his feet and put his hat back on, Jack spotted something out of the corner of his eye.

A samurai had entered the main hall and was conversing with the head priest. Accompanied by a small entourage, the man was evidently important either a high-ranking retainer or a lord. He was dressed formally in a black winged kataginu kataginu jacket, a pleated jacket, a pleated hakama hakama of black-and-white stripes, stark-white of black-and-white stripes, stark-white tabi tabi socks and, most unusually, his swords had handle wrappings of white silk. socks and, most unusually, his swords had handle wrappings of white silk.

But what had caught Jack's eye was the small rectangular box on the samurai's hip. The inro inro and its and its netsuke netsuke were exactly the same design as the one were exactly the same design as the one daimyo daimyo Takatomi had given him. Takatomi had given him.

It couldn't be coincidence. This had had to be the man they were seeking. to be the man they were seeking.

35.

SASUMATA.

'Are you certain this time?' asked Ronin as the three of them discreetly followed the samurai and his entourage around the temple grounds.

'That's my inro inro,' replied Jack, nodding. 'Do you think he's Botan?'

Ronin shook his head. 'I was under the impression Botan was a low-ranking samurai. This man is of too high a status.'

'So who who is he?' said Hana. is he?' said Hana.

Ronin approached one of the monks feeding a tame deer to enquire. The monk humbly bowed his head as he answered. 'That is daimyo daimyo Sanada, Lord of Nara Province.' Sanada, Lord of Nara Province.'

Jack felt a cold chill run through him. How had a samurai lord come into possession of his inro inro? This suggested an a.s.sociation between daimyo daimyo Sanada and the samurai Botan. Could it be that Botan and his gang had been working for Sanada and the samurai Botan. Could it be that Botan and his gang had been working for daimyo daimyo Sanada all along? If so, this samurai lord might also have the Sanada all along? If so, this samurai lord might also have the rutter rutter. And if he was aware of its significance the logbook could already be on its way to the Shogun!

Leaving the monk with his deer, the three of them continued to walk down the main thoroughfare, trailing their quarry.

'I think daimyo daimyo Sanada could be behind my attack,' said Jack. Sanada could be behind my attack,' said Jack.

'The inro inro could be a copy?' Ronin proposed. could be a copy?' Ronin proposed.

Jack shook his head. 'Daimyo Takatomi had the gift specifically commissioned. It's one of a kind. Myself, Akiko and Yamato were each given different designs.' Takatomi had the gift specifically commissioned. It's one of a kind. Myself, Akiko and Yamato were each given different designs.'

'Well, perhaps he bought it from Botan.'

Jack considered this. It was certainly possible. Whatever the truth, a connection between the two was indisputable and it might just lead them to the rutter rutter.

'I could steal it back for you,' suggested Hana.

Ronin frowned at her. 'His bodyguards would chop your hands off before you got anywhere near him.'

Her face went pale at the thought and she protectively pulled her hands inside her kimono sleeves.

'We need to meet with him,' said Jack. 'Find out how he acquired my inro inro. And discover the whereabouts of the rutter rutter.'

'You can't just walk up to him,' said Ronin. 'We'd need a formal invitation.'

Cautiously, Jack ventured, 'Would your father's name hold any sway?'

A shadow pa.s.sed across Ronin's face. 'I doubt it. He was well respected but had his enemies. Besides, you wouldn't get away with hiding your face in the presence of a daimyo daimyo.'

'Why don't we just find out where this lord lives?' said Hana. 'Then we could sneak in at night and search for the rutter rutter. Like we did with the pearl.'

Ronin dismissed this suggestion with a wave of his hand. 'A daimyo daimyo's mansion is heavily guarded and likely to be b.o.o.by-trapped. No samurai, let alone a girl thief, could accomplish such a mission. You'd need to be a ninja to get inside undetected!'

Jack tried not to smile at this. His ninjutsu ninjutsu stealth training meant stealth training meant he he could attempt it. could attempt it.

'It's our only option,' he said, much to Ronin's surprise and Hana's delight. 'Let's at least follow him home.'

Daimyo Sanada was already heading out of the Great Southern Gate and Jack and the others quickened their pace to catch up. Pa.s.sing between the immense pillars that supported the gate's curving roof, Jack spotted two fearsome muscular guardians upon either side of the entrance. These wooden statues, Agyo and Ungyo, the protectors of Buddha, glared down at them. They each held out a hand as if in warning to stop. But the warning came too late for Jack, Ronin and Hana. Sanada was already heading out of the Great Southern Gate and Jack and the others quickened their pace to catch up. Pa.s.sing between the immense pillars that supported the gate's curving roof, Jack spotted two fearsome muscular guardians upon either side of the entrance. These wooden statues, Agyo and Ungyo, the protectors of Buddha, glared down at them. They each held out a hand as if in warning to stop. But the warning came too late for Jack, Ronin and Hana.

As they stepped out of the Todai-ji's grounds, the sound of dozens of running feet greeted them. In moments, they were surrounded by a company of dos.h.i.+n dos.h.i.+n. Each man held either a long bamboo staff or a sasumata sasumata a pole with a vicious-looking U-shaped p.r.o.ng. a pole with a vicious-looking U-shaped p.r.o.ng.

Ronin, Jack and Hana went for their swords, but they were immediately beaten with the staves, blows raining down upon them from every direction. Even if they could have used their weapons, their attackers remained out of reach at the ends of their poles. Driven back against the gate's pillars, the three of them were pinned by the throat and arms with several sasumata sasumata.

'And they said you were dangerous!' smirked the leading officer, although he still kept a wary distance.

Just as Jack thought the punis.h.i.+ng beating was over, his head was clamped between four bamboo poles that formed a box round his skull. Released from the grip of the sasumata sasumata, Jack tried to struggle free, but the four dos.h.i.+n dos.h.i.+n on each end squeezed the poles together and he was wracked with pain. It was so unbearable he was completely incapacitated. Ronin and Hana were both in the same predicament. Their swords were taken and the three of them were at the mercy of the on each end squeezed the poles together and he was wracked with pain. It was so unbearable he was completely incapacitated. Ronin and Hana were both in the same predicament. Their swords were taken and the three of them were at the mercy of the dos.h.i.+n dos.h.i.+n.

'Come on! Let's not keep his lords.h.i.+p waiting,' shouted the officer, and the dos.h.i.+n dos.h.i.+n marched them into town. marched them into town.

Grimacing in pain, Ronin muttered, 'This is not not the formal invitation I'd envisaged.' the formal invitation I'd envisaged.'

36.

DAIMYO SANADA SANADA.

'Truly a magnificent work of art!' declared daimyo daimyo Sanada, drawing the blade of Jack's Sanada, drawing the blade of Jack's katana katana and admiring its exquisite and admiring its exquisite hamon hamon. In the sunlight, the swirling pattern of waves upon the steel s.h.i.+mmered as if flowing.

Having been escorted into the garden of the daimyo daimyo's mansion, Jack, Ronin and Hana were now on their knees, their heads bowed and their hands bound behind their backs. They stared in submission at a chequerboard of black and white paving stones, awaiting their fate. The path along which they'd been dragged was laid out with black and white pebbles. And, sneaking a glance, Jack saw the mansion itself was built of white walls and black pillars. Just like his striped hakama hakama, everything in the daimyo daimyo's domain appeared to be either black or white.

's.h.i.+zu's craftsmans.h.i.+p is beyond compare,' said daimyo daimyo Sanada, sheathing the blade with the utmost respect. 'Certainly far too good for a Sanada, sheathing the blade with the utmost respect. 'Certainly far too good for a gaijin gaijin!'

He handed the daisho daisho to one of his retainers, a bald-headed man with sharp slanting eyebrows and a sour crumpled face. Jack's heart sank. Having risked so much to retrieve them, his precious swords had once again been taken from him. to one of his retainers, a bald-headed man with sharp slanting eyebrows and a sour crumpled face. Jack's heart sank. Having risked so much to retrieve them, his precious swords had once again been taken from him.

The daimyo daimyo paced in front of his three prisoners. 'I didn't expect your capture paced in front of his three prisoners. 'I didn't expect your capture so so soon. The warrant for your arrest was only delivered by the soon. The warrant for your arrest was only delivered by the metsuke metsuke this very morning.' He waved the scroll before them. 'Three travellers a this very morning.' He waved the scroll before them. 'Three travellers a ronin ronin with a beard, a with a beard, a hinin hinin girl and a hat-wearing girl and a hat-wearing gaijin gaijin samurai carrying red-handled s.h.i.+zu swords. I suppose it wasn't hard for my officers to spot you. But I'm puzzled why you've come to Nara in the first place?' samurai carrying red-handled s.h.i.+zu swords. I suppose it wasn't hard for my officers to spot you. But I'm puzzled why you've come to Nara in the first place?'

Jack saw little reason not to answer the daimyo daimyo. Despite their dire situation, he still wanted to know the fate of his father's rutter rutter.

'I've been trying to reach Nagasaki and leave j.a.pan as decreed by the Shogun but I was ambushed on the border of the Iga mountains and had all my belongings stolen. We came here looking for them.'

The daimyo daimyo sighed in mock sympathy. 'That is such a great shame. And what exactly have you lost?' sighed in mock sympathy. 'That is such a great shame. And what exactly have you lost?'

'The inro inro on your on your obi obi to begin with,' said Jack, nodding to the lacquered carrying case. 'One of your samurai stole it from me.' to begin with,' said Jack, nodding to the lacquered carrying case. 'One of your samurai stole it from me.'

'That is a very grave accusation. This was a gift from my advisor, Kanesuke-san,' revealed Sanada, indicating the bald-headed retainer. 'Are you calling him a thief thief?'

'Why not ask him where he got it?' challenged Jack.

Kanesuke's face screwed up with barely concealed outrage, but daimyo daimyo Sanada didn't even glance in his direction. 'Why should I even entertain the suggestion? Sanada didn't even glance in his direction. 'Why should I even entertain the suggestion? You You are the felon here.' are the felon here.'

'But that inro inro was a gift to me from was a gift to me from daimyo daimyo Takatomi for saving his life from the ninja Dragon Eye ' Takatomi for saving his life from the ninja Dragon Eye '

'Daimyo Takatomi?' interrupted the lord, his interest suddenly piqued. 'A Takatomi?' interrupted the lord, his interest suddenly piqued. 'A most most honourable and astute man. He sits on the Shogun's Council next to me. I do recall he once mentioned this incident in your defence to the Council. honourable and astute man. He sits on the Shogun's Council next to me. I do recall he once mentioned this incident in your defence to the Council. If If it is yours, I need proof first.' He undid the it is yours, I need proof first.' He undid the inro inro and held it close to his chest. 'Describe to me the design and I'll believe your claim.' and held it close to his chest. 'Describe to me the design and I'll believe your claim.'

Jack nodded his a.s.sent.

'But if you fail,' added daimyo daimyo Sanada, his eyes narrowing, 'Kanesuke gets the pleasure of cutting off the Sanada, his eyes narrowing, 'Kanesuke gets the pleasure of cutting off the hinin hinin girl's right hand.' girl's right hand.'

A guard seized Hana, undid her bonds and forced her to hold out her arm. Kanesuke, borrowing another guard's wakizas.h.i.+ wakizas.h.i.+, placed the blade's edge upon her wrist. Hana looked to Jack with terrified pleading eyes.

'A sakura sakura tree,' blurted Jack, 'in gold and silver.' tree,' blurted Jack, 'in gold and silver.'

The daimyo daimyo looked unimpressed. 'You could easily have seen that when you were brought in.' looked unimpressed. 'You could easily have seen that when you were brought in.'

'The blossom is in ivory!'

'I still need convincing convincing.'

'But I've told you the design!' Jack insisted as Kanesuke raised his sword and Hana began to scream.

'Then tell me, gaijin gaijin, how many birds are in the tree?' the daimyo daimyo demanded, a crafty smile upon his lips. demanded, a crafty smile upon his lips.

Jack wracked his brains, trying to remember. His mind had gone blank under the pressure. Hana's scream faded into a pitiful whimper, her face turning deathly pale as Kanesuke adjusted his grip upon the sword, ready to do the deed.

'Wait!' cried Jack as the daimyo daimyo's trick dawned on him. 'There are none none!'

Kanesuke looked to his lord for permission to cut off the hand, but daimyo daimyo Sanada's smile disintegrated into a scowl. 'Correct.' Sanada's smile disintegrated into a scowl. 'Correct.'

Kanesuke, incensed by the disclosure, brought down the sword to chop Hana's hand off anyway.

'NO!' ordered Sanada, glaring at his advisor. 'The gaijin gaijin won the challenge. And it would appear won the challenge. And it would appear he's he's telling the truth about this telling the truth about this inro inro.'

The man visibly shrank under the severe gaze of his master, returned the sword and shuffled, head bowed, to his former position. Hana clasped her hand to her chest with relief.

The daimyo daimyo toyed with the toyed with the inro inro in his hand. 'I'd willingly give this back to you, but you'll have little use for it where you're going.' He pa.s.sed the carrying case to another of his retainers. 'So, we have your in his hand. 'I'd willingly give this back to you, but you'll have little use for it where you're going.' He pa.s.sed the carrying case to another of his retainers. 'So, we have your inro inro here and, of course, your swords... what about this book called a here and, of course, your swords... what about this book called a rutter rutter?'

Jack's mouth dropped open in shock. 'You have it?'

The daimyo daimyo slowly shook his head. 'I was hoping you did. The Shogun has requested its return.' slowly shook his head. 'I was hoping you did. The Shogun has requested its return.'

'Return?' Jack exclaimed. 'But it's mine. It belonged to my father.'

'You lay claim to much, young samurai,' said the daimyo daimyo. He walked over to a small wooden table, tutting in disappointment. 'It's most unfortuate you no longer have it. I'd have gained great favour with the Shogun for finding this rutter rutter.'

Surprisingly, Jack discovered he was relieved to hear that the rutter rutter had not been found. The Shogun was the last person he wanted to own it. That meant Botan might still have the logbook, unless he'd traded it... or thrown it away... or used it for tinder. With a death sentence hanging over his head, Jack realized he might never know. had not been found. The Shogun was the last person he wanted to own it. That meant Botan might still have the logbook, unless he'd traded it... or thrown it away... or used it for tinder. With a death sentence hanging over his head, Jack realized he might never know.