The lands of the Inuyama clan and the Kurokawa clan were separated by the mighty Mogami River that flowed from Mount Gassan in the Tohoku region down to the sea. At each of the five bridges that separated the two lands was a checkpoint where travellers were routinely inspected for contraband as they moved between each side.
With the sun cresting the surrounding mountains, Jiro and his apprentice Masato found themselves at the most Southern of those checkpoints, deep in a line of travellers anxious to make an early start to their day’s journey.
“Sensei, are you sure we’re gonna be okay?” Masato asked, glancing about nervously.
It had been a long night of cat and mouse since their encounter with the bandits at the Inn of a Thousand Lanterns, and now with what seemed like the “freedom” of enemy territory at hand, Masato was more nervous than ever.
“Just calm down kid, we’ve got the papers we need to get across the checkpoint.” Jiro said, patting the horse he stood next to. “We’ll be over the bridge in no time, don’t worry about it.”
“I know, Sensei. But…I’m just thinking about those bandits.”
Jiro nodded in understanding. “Me too kid, I dunno why they wanted us but…” Then suddenly something caught Jiro’s eye ahead of them, and he shifted to put the horse between himself and something he’d seen. “We got trouble kid. When you have the chance, check out the guys milling around over there, they look familiar?” Then added “No, don’t stare you idiot!” as Masato openly craned his neck around to look.
Trying to be more cautious, Masato looked again at five men who were playing dice near the checkpoint gate. It took a moment, but then he recognised one of them- the man with the red handkerchief on his head who’d fingered them the night before at the Inn. “Sensei…It’s the guys you dropped the cabinet on!”
“Yeah. Him and his friends must have been sent ahead to watch for us.”
“But, what can they do? They’re not soldiers, are they? They can’t keep us from crossing.”
“We still don’t know who they are, lad. They could be Kurokawa agents.” Jiro considered leaving the line and trying another checkpoint, but he suspected there were more of them nearby watching in case the two samurai did exactly that. There were too many unknowns, but he decided to follow his gut and take a chance. “Just be prepared kid.”
As the sun slowly rose into the sky, the line inched forward, and it wasn’t long before the Masato and his master found themselves at the head of the line. They’d kept an eye on the ruffians, who’d seemed to look everywhere but where the two samurai were, and even now seemed oblivious to their presence.
That made Jiro even more nervous.
“Next! You there! Look lively!”
The checkpoint captain, a large man in the black and orange lacquered armour of the Kurokawa, motioned for the two to come forward, and the disguised samurai led their horses up.
“Yessir! Sorry, sir!” Jiro stepped up and raised his hand to beg forgiveness as he gave a quick series of bows. He was speaking now in the deep country accent used by the farmers in the nearby hills.
“Papers?” Said the guard.
Taking a moment to fish around for them, Jiro produced them from his robes and handed the slightly wrinkled documents over with a friendly smile. “Here ya go, m’lord!” Then after the man started reading them, he added. “Say, you wouldn’t happen ta know any good places to wet your whistle over there, would ya? I’m takin’ the boy out for a little trip- gonna make a man of him!”
“Aww, pa! Don’t tell everyone!” Masato whined, trying to get in on the act.
That produced a laugh from the other guards and the people behind them, but the guard captain remained stone-faced. “You can’t do that in your own town?”
Jiro looked at him in mock surprise. “Heck no! You know what’ll happen to me if the wife finds out? I’ll be eatin’ nothing but cold pickled radish for a month!”
The captain finished his inspection and nodded to himself, handing the documents back to Jiro. “Your papers are in order. And, if that’s the drink you want, I suggest you look for The Hidden Pearl, it’s in the next town and…”
Listening to the guard speak, Masato heaved a sigh of relief- they were going to make it!
“There you are you horse thief!” Came an angry yell, and five men marched up to them- the lead with a red handkerchief on his head. This weaselly looking man waved an accusing finger at Jiro. “Trying to get away, are ya?”
Now the guards were at attention, once again all business. “You there, is there a problem?”
The accuser turned and dropped to his knees in front of the guard captain, giving him a deep bow- something the other four copied. “My lord, please arrest these men!” He wailed. “They’ve stolen horses from our farm and are trying to flee across the border!”
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