To make himself feel better, Ryuichi made up lavish stories about his parents. His father had been the illegitimate brother of the mighty Oda Nobunaga—one of his bravest and fiercest samurai, able to take down an entire army single-handedly. And he’d been madly in love with Ryuichi’s mother, a proud, undefeated onna-musha like Gozen Hangaku, the famed woman warrior who’d led an army. In his mind, his mother had died with honor, in battle—just as his father had done. A beautiful flower who had sacrificed herself to protect them all.

Indeed, he could see her now, in battle, handing him off to one of their warriors as she lay dying, her last words. “Protect my son.”

That was the dream he held so tight.

In his heart and soul, Ryuichi knew he had to be the son of such masterful warriors. He could feel their ki resonating through his very blood. It simmered and snapped, sometimes wanting out so badly that it was all he could do to contain it.

But if he ever tried to tell that to anyone else, they laughed at him.

“There’s nothing special about you.”

You’re no one.

Nothing.

So he kept to the shadows, where he felt at home, and tried to be as invisible as the others made him feel.

“O genki desu ka, Ryu-chan?”

Ryuichi glanced up from his work to see the old barefoot woman in a mismatched kimono. Gray-haired Keiko. He had no idea where she lived, but it must be nearby. She always appeared whenever he felt glum, as if she magically knew his mood.

“Ohayō, Keiko-san.” He bowed politely.

She glanced toward the hall, where everyone was heading. “You’re not going the right way.” She took him by the shoulders and turned him around. “That’s where the party is.” She urged him forward.

In spite of his heartache, he laughed before he turned back to face her. “I’m not allowed there. I have other duties today.”

She looked horrified. “No! No! How can they have a party without the great Ryu-kyou? Do they not know who you are?”

“Apparently not, as I was told to go mind the horses for Lord Hiero’s guests.”

Her mouth fell open. “This will not do. It won’t do at all! Do they not know who you are?”

Ryuichi loved the way she made him feel. Like he mattered.

He gave her another smile. “It’s okay. The horses are probably better company anyway.” Given how most people treated him, he actually preferred the horses.

With a polite bow, he left her tsking and headed off to the stables to attend to his duties before he got into trouble again, which seemed to be his natural state of being. But it’d been good to see the old woman for a moment.

Keiko wasn’t mean-spirited. Nor did she make him feel bad whenever their paths crossed.