The Inuyama Rebellion- Part Twenty Five

As they came through the mouth of a mountain pass, Masato looked down and saw his lord’s procession.

Lord Inuyama and his guard of twenty men were riding in full regalia along an open stretch of green fields, and directly ahead of them Masato could see tents and another group of samurai waiting. The samurai who were waiting flew flags with the blue and white Mon symbol of Lord Sugura- a stylized tree next to wavy lines for water.

Had they come too late?

Masato scanned the area around, but saw no soldiers except the few waiting in front of the tents. Then again, they could have men behind the tents, in the tree line to either side of the field, or maybe Sugura had something else planned. In any case, he needed to get down there and warn his lord!

Pushing his horse, he and Taro raced down the hill in pursuit of the procession. The Inuyama party seemed to be moving at a leisurely pace, and closing on it Masato began to feel some sense of hope. It was going to be close, but began to feel they could still make before the two groups met.

As they approached, two of the green and gold armored Inuyama samurai at the rear broke off from the main party and turned back to meet them. One, with an elaborate and demonic looking Menpo facemask, raised his armored hand for them to stop as they rode up, and Masato pulled back on his horse’s reins.

“This isn’t a place for children,” announced the general. “Leave.”

“But sir!” Masato cried. “You must listen- our lord is riding into a trap!”

“What?!?” Yelled the general, and he reached up and pulled aside his mask to reveal a flat face with small eyes and a bushy mustache. “Do you have proof?”

“I do, my lord.” Masato announced, pulling Shiori’s letter from his jacket. “This letter, and this young boy beside me is the second son of our lord who was sent to the Kurokawa.”

The general studied them a moment, and then made a decision. “Follow me!” He ordered, and wheeled his horse around.

“We did it, Masato-kun!” Taro said gleefully as they were escorted back to the main party. “We warned father!”

Masato nodded, he felt a little relieved, but wouldn’t feel secure until they were all safely away from Lord Sugura and his men.

As they approached the main group, three more riders came out to meet them- one samurai and two courtiers dressed blue robes with tall black hats.

*     *     *

Hasegawa Yohei, chief retainer for Lord Inuyama studied the two boys on horseback that General Yamahira brought back with him. Despite their dishevelled appearance, there was something familiar about these two, and he ordered his guard and assistant to stop and let the general ride up.

“What have we here, General?” Asked Yohei.

The general gave a slight tilt that was likely all he could manage of a bow in his armor while on horseback. “My lord, these are messengers who claim that our great lord is in danger.”

“Indeed,” Yohei said with interest. “Do they bear a letter?”

“They do, my lord.”

“I will see it.”

The general bowed again, and then fetched the letter from the older boy, who seemed most anxious at giving it away. General Yamahira delivered it to Yohei, who examined the seal first- it bore the symbol of the clan’s intelligence corps- then he opened it, and read the contents.

He hadn’t even finished before he turned white as a feather.

This letter said that Sugura was going to betray the Inuyama! How could that be? Yohei had spent years setting up this alliance, and this was to be the crowning jewel of his political career. Did the writer of the letter know how long he had labored? How carefully he had planned? How much money he had spent?

No! This simply wasn’t possible. He wouldn’t believe it. He couldn’t believe it, not of Sugura. They needed the Inuyama, and the Inuyama needed them, or else the Kurokawa would have them all.

This had to be some Kurokawa trick- some bit of deception.

He looked at the boys, now knowing why they looked familiar. That was indeed Masato, an apprentice of the clan swordmaster, and the younger boy did bear a resemblance to his mother under all that dirt, so he likely was young Taro. Clearly Shinpei had failed to capture them as ordered, and now they had come through with this false information planted by the Kurokawa. No doubt the boys were innocent pawns, and the lord would be overjoyed to see his son again, but that would come in due time.

Hasegawa Yohei folded the letter and put it into the folds of his billowing sleeve.

“I will take care of this, general.” He told the soldier. “Keep the boys here at the back with you while I ride forward. I will summon them when they’re needed.”

“Of course, my lord.” Answered the old soldier, and he led the boys away. The children didn’t seem happy, but they obeyed as they should.

Yohei turned and looked forward. They had almost reached Sugura’s camp, and when they did he would be glad of it.

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The Inuyama Rebellion- Part Twenty-Four

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The Inuyama Rebellion- Part Twenty-Six


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