To keep the scouts from separating and escaping, the failed mage directed that Hitomo and Tomiichi offer a diversion, while he came up behind them. He was careful not to venture too far behind the hill, lest he encounter any other scouts.

He stocked up the incline, his boots kicking through the leaves and ferns. He slowed when he could hear the two sentries. He was close, very close. He stopped, breathed silently while listening. It felt like forever before the guards cried out in surprise as Hitomo and Tomiichi inevitably came upon them as two travellers in the woods. It was impossible to see what was happening in the city, even from the foothills of the mountains, since the city abutted them directly.

Of course, they couldn’t avoid suspicion.

The sky above Yukai City was a haze of white and grey smoke as fires in the city smoldered. Lawrence put it from his mind as he snuck up on the two sentries who had their yari spears pointed at Hitomo and Tomiichi.

Coming up directly behind them, he put one man in a choke hold until he dropped his weapon. Tomiichi snatched it up in a heartbeat, and now they were in a standoff with the other sentry. Neither of the two men were samurai, and so lacked the necessary skills for proper defense against veteran warriors.

The sentry still brandishing his spear screamed out some orders for them to release his ally.

“Silence!” Lawrence called. “Put down your arms or your comrade dies.”

The sentry seemed to think about it for a moment, and in a huff he threw his weapon down onto the grass in utter frustration with himself.

“What are you going to do with us?” It was the one Lawrence had in his grip.

“We’re taking you prisoner, of course,” the failed mage said. “Comply and you won’t be harmed. I give you my word.”

“Your word?”

“On my honor.”

They seemed to calm at his promise. The man in Lawrence’s grip nodded, and he let the man go.

The guard turned to face him, rubbed his neck. “Then take us back to your camp.”

Hitomo glanced toward the prisoners, a skeptical look crossing the old man’s face. “Oh no you don’t,” Lawrence said. “I said if you cooperate no harm will come to you. We want information.”

The two centuries look at each other.

“How large is the force camped bellow the Western Temple?”

“Don’t say anything,” one man said.

Hitomo backhanded him. “Quiet, if you know what’s good for you, boy.”

The other sentry swallowed.

“Don’t say anyth-gah!”

“I said be quiet.”

“Just tell us,” Lawrence persisted, his tone perfectly reasonable. “Don’t make us burn it out of you.” He snapped his fingers, a spark igniting for a moment there. “Who is your leader?”

“Okay, okay!”

“That’s a good man,” Lawrence said. “No answer my questions.”

“It’s Nori Hukama,” the guard said, much to the disapproval of his comrade. “The general is Nori Hukama, the First Spear of Daixen!”

Tomiichi and Hitomo’s eyes widened as they looked at each other. Lawrence fully understood the implication. “Well,” he said, “I would have expected much more from a soldier out of his army.”

The scout laughed. “I’m not in his army. Not properly.”

“What do you mean?” Tomiichi asked. “Your accent is from the city.”

“He’s a local conscript,” Lawrence said. “Used to pad his own lack of forces. Probably from one of the guilds—isn’t that right?”

“But…” Tomiichi said, taken aback. “How does he get away with that?”

The failed mage snorted. “You know most men fight for a wage and a promise. Apparently Hukama’s promises are better than the promises of your emperor.”

“And the guilds,” Hitomo mused, “don’t care for the common good.”

“I can’t believe this!” Tomiichi said. Gutter trash, all of you. I would understand if you were some gaijin but your own people?”

“Enough,” Lawrence commanded. “We take these two back to the group where we can figure out what our next move is. But we need to be careful.” He gave Tomiichi and Hitomo a severe look that clearly meant he was inferring indicating Princess Noriko who was evidentially in disguise.

The two men took the hint, and they started making their way back to the group. “Since we took these men prisoner,” Hitomo said, “they will no doubt be missed. Others will be sent after them.”

“I agree,” Tomiichi said.

Lawrence was leading the small group of men back. “Then we move the group.”

“It might not be that easy,” Hitomo said.

“Then let’s hope luck is with us.”

When they got back to the group, they used some sack cloth to tie the two men up so they couldn’t escape, leaving Hitomo there to guard them with one of the spears.

Sakura joined Tomiichi and Lawrence in a slightly secluded conference thirty or so paces from the main group. The dancer was aghast at the news that their attacker was none other than the legendary general Nori Hukama. Once that was past, they starting suggesting ideas to one another.

“I think we need to tell the Princess what’s going on,” Sakura said.

Tomiichi shook his head. “That would put her in danger.”

“It would,” Lawrence added, “but she has a right to know the danger she’s in, and the danger we—and she—will have to overcome if we’re to get to the cove on the other side of the peninsula.”

“We could… always make our way north,” Sakura suggested.

Lawrence forced himself not to laugh at the suggestion. “Those are enemy lands. It’s too dangerous. I think getting to the Ikaima Dancing Fan is our best course of action. From there we can sail to any safe harbor that will have us.”

“Then the Princess should know.”

Lawrence and Tomiichi looked at each other. The commander nodded in agreement. “But I still think we should run this by father.”

“Fine,” Sakura said and Lawrence agreed.

After telling Hitomo, who agreed with some reluctance and some convincing, Sakura went to fetch Princess Noriko. The young woman seemed confused when they brought her forward. Lawrence had suggested they stay closer to the group now so not to attract any attention to the girl.

Accompanying her were two women, one a young human and the other a middle-aged cat eye. The human girl seemed perplexed, but the cat eye was suspicious, her demeanor hostile and defensive.

“Yes, we’re handmaidens of the lady. What of it?”

Sakura was beginning to explain that they knew who she was, but the dancer was taking so long in an obvious attempt not to shock them, that Lawrence ran out of patience. “We know you’re Princess Noriko Kurosawa.”

“Wha—whaaat?!” the cat eye howled. She literally bared her fangs and claws just then as the younger handmaiden covered her mouth in horror at the prospect of being discovered.

The princess didn’t bat en eyelash. “Easy, Dija,” she said stoically. “If they wanted to harm me, they would have done so already without telling me they know who I am.”

That seemed to calm her two handmaidens, but it was too late now, they had made a scene, and it was clear something was going on now that the leaders of the group were speaking with what was supposed to be an anonymous young noblewoman.

“So why?” Dija asked, glaring at them.

“Cats are always slow to trust, I see,” Lawrence said.

“I’m not a cat!”

“Do you know where we’re heading?” he asked, addressing the princess and ignoring the feisty cat eye. He only asked because when he had addressed the group, it was clear that in their panic, many of them were not listening, but rather simply following the herd.

The princess nodded. “I do.”

“But there’s a problem,” Tomiichi said. “Hukama’s army is encamped between us and the Western Temple.”

“Did you just say Hukama?” Princess Noriko asked.

Dija growled, putting a furred paw over her forehead. “I thought things could not get worse.”

“What does this mean?” Mika asked. “Isn’t this Hukama a great general or something?”

“That’s exactly what he is, Mika,” Sakura said in answer.

“You really should listen more closely to these kinds of things, child,” Dija chided. “You’re always the last to catch up.”

Mika was positively contrite. “I’m sorry.”

“Never mind that.”

Hitomo cleared his throat. It seemed he was attempting to summon more dignity than he had been mustering before. “The problem is that we need to get to the ship, but that army stands in our way. What do we do?”

“Walking through the mountains isn’t an option,” Tomiichi said. “We don’t have the supplies. We would starve.

“Not only that,” Lawrence said, “the enemy knows something has happened out here now, or soon will. If they pursue us, our march through the mountains will be too slow to evade them. We would be captured. Easily.” He turned to the princess directly. “You would undoubtedly be discovered.”

“I don’t mean to scare you, Majesty,” Hitomo said in a hushed voice. “But its clear Hukama’s aim is either to capture or kill the royal family.”

“That’s enough!” Dija spat. “The princess doesn’t need these weights on her already burdened shoulders. Leave her be!”

No one said anything.

Perhaps this Dija woman is right, Lawrence thought. With the palace smoldering, her nation invaded by the legend general, she surely has little hope.

The failed mage didn’t often feel sorry for people, but now he sympathized with the princess. “Highness,” he said. “If you wish it, leave everything to me and I’ll get you to that ship. I swear it.”

“No,” she said, standing up taller. “I want to know what is happening. I’m perfectly capable of being a part of this conversation without breaking down in sobs. I may be a princess, but I’m not a delicate rose pedal.”

“My apologies,” Lawrence said, though he didn’t need to say the words. Really it was the cat eye sheltering the girl. She was clearly a loyal servant. Lawrence decided then not to antagonize her any further. “You’re absolutely right, Princess.”

Dija looked at him, her glare deepening.

Perhaps not entirely, he thought, a wry grin coming to his lips.

“What are you smiling at?” Dija asked suspiciously.

“Nothing,” Lawrence said. “I’m just surprised at how strong your princess is.”