“For your promotion,” she said. “You don’t believe that my father thought of it himself, do you? I told him to promote you, and I went on telling him until he did. I can be quite persuasive when I need to be.”

Jimmu’s wounded pride stung. He had thought Lord Ankan had been impressed by his courage and swordsman-ship; instead Ankan had merely given in to his daughter’s nagging.

“I’m very grateful to you, My Lady,” he said, bowing low, but sounding sullen.

“It was nothing,” Takeko said airily. “I merely paid off the debt I owe you. You saved my life at Zato, and I talked my father into making your dreams come true. Now you can train as a samurai. That makes us even.”

“Yes, My Lady.”

“So there’s no reason for us to meet, or talk to each other again.”

“No, My Lady,” agreed Jimmu.

Takeko scowled.

“Is that the best you can come up with—No, My Lady?” she jeered. “Doesn’t the idea of never meeting me again break your heart? Don’t you want to perform a recklessly heroic act to gain my favor? That’s what heroes do in stories.”

“But I’m not a hero, My Lady,” Jimmu pointed out, “and this is not a story.”

“Well, it ought to be!” snarled Takeko. “You should—”

She shut her mouth so smartly that her teeth clicked together.

“I should what, My Lady?” Jimmu said.

“I don’t know!” said Takeko. “Stop pestering me! Why do you have to make everything so complicated?”

Without waiting for a reply, Takeko turned with a flounce, and hurried away into the dark, and the falling snow.

Jimmu was bewildered. There was no accounting for Takeko’s changes of mood and illogical rage.

Is she really angry with me, or just pretending? he wondered. And why do I want to know? Why should it matter to me?

But it did matter to him. Though he was not fully aware of it, something inside him had found its center in Takeko.

12 - MITSUKAGE CASTLE ISE PROVINCE

12

MITSUKAGE CASTLE ISE PROVINCE

AUTUMN 1572

For the next two months, Captain Muraki worked Jimmu hard. He was as demanding as Nichiren had been, but better at explaining the reasons behind his demands. Under his tutelage, Jimmu began to grasp why there was more to being a samurai than fighting.

Each morning, Jimmu rose before sunup, doused himself in cold water, and practiced with his sword in the exercise yard until Captain Muraki joined him. Jimmu’s archery improved, and he learned some of the finer points of fighting with a spear. If the captain’s duties interrupted a session, Jimmu continued by himself.

But there were two concerns that no amount of training could keep out of his mind: avenging his father, and Takeko.