Stillness in Motion

From the crest of the hill over looking the small harbor town Ryuu Tora could see the glow of his home burning.

He urged his lathered horse down the dirt path that led into his village, on to where his home blazed. As he approached the fire he saw the crowd of people gathered by his house, but was alarmed to note that where he expected to see frantic scurrying as his neighbors scrambled to douse the flames, instead he saw only a throng of onlookers standing idly by. It took him a moment to find the cause: a group of armed and armored soldiers stood with weapons drawn, backs to the fire, holding the crowd at bay.

He searched the crowd hoping to see his wife and children, but was unable to find their faces inthe crowd. His friends and neighbors milled about, some sullenly hostile to the soldiers and some openly shouting their frustration.

Ryuu turned his attention to his burning home. As he watched in horror the timbers collapsed and the house fell in upon itself; then he noticed two soldiers standing closer by the entryway - and the silhouetted shapes on the ground.

His wife had tried to shield the children from the arrows with her body. Even now the dark short lines of the feathered arrows protruded from her body. Whether she had succeeded in protecting her son and daughter made no difference; the soldiers walking away from the corpses wiping their swords clean showed that they had finished whatever job the archers had failed to complete.

His mind went blank then, a deep red rage that consumed him body and spirit.

He fell among them with only the sound of his horse's thundering hooves to mark his approach.

First he took the archers. One fell back screaming as the tip of Ryuu's katana swept across his eyes, leaving a red stain on his cheeks; the second reached for his bow only to find both of his arms missing at the elbow. And then Ryuu descended on the swordsmen.

He moved through them as a breeze among the rushes. Several fell dead before the rest even became aware that they were under attack. They drew their blades and cast about vainly among the shadows and shapes that leapt in the dancing firelight, but Ryuu moved with an unreal mindless calm. Only after a third of their number had fallen did the remaining samurai find their attacker; then the battle began in earnest.

Ryuu's initial blind rage had passed; his mind had returned and he found himself calmly moving through the fray. All the secrets his father had taught him, all the lessons of his swordmaster moved below the surface of his consciousness, informing his every move. He feinted towards one foe, then skipped backward and skewered a soldier who had moved to follow him. Another flew in with a powerful downstroke that was meant to cleave him in two; instead he met the blade with his katana at an angle that sent his opponent's weapon sliding harmlessly off to one side while he used the momentum of the impact to sweep his sword around in a flat arc that took the man's head at the jawline.

The fight seemed to last a lifetime. At last he stood, cut and bleeding from countless small wounds, facing a handful of remaining soldiers. He could feel exhaustion creeping over him as the battle lust faded and his situation began to sink in. He had positioned himself to protect the bodies of his wife and child, and their huddled and motionless forms burned into his sight.

He stood, chest heaving. His attackers wavered uncertainly; they outnumbered him and he was injured, but his prowess was proven by the bodies scattered in the street, some moaning and writhing, some slumped in death.

Just as he gathered himself for a rush that would finish the battle in either his enemies' death or his, Ryuu was brought up short by a voice that boomed from the shadows,

"Ryuu Tora! In the name of the master we both serve, I command you to put up your blade!"

No other voice could have given Ryuu pause as this one did. From the crowd stepped a figure, armored as Ryuu was, adorned the same colors. A katana and wakizashi were at his side, still sheathed.

"Naoki? Is it you?" Ryuu asked.

The figure lifted off his helmet. He spoke in a commanding voice, but without anger:

"Ryuu, these men are not your true enemies. Listen to me. This is the wrong battle."

Ryuu looked at him and felt his fury abating. His arms were becoming heavier and heavier while his head became lighter.

"Naoki? Mei...and the children..." He found himself too weak to continue.

His childhood friend replied simply, "I know. I will care for them."

Ryuu felt his hands lose all their strength. His sword fell from his limp fingers. He tried to walk to where his friend stood, but after two steps his legs failed him and he fell in a heap to the ground. He lay where he fell, the bodies of his family filling his vision, and soon his mind left him and he knew no more.

* * * * *

He woke some time later. He had no way of knowing how long he had been unconscious, only that it was now daylight. The walls of the room shone with a soft glow. He examined the room and quickly knew where he was: the cells that the Shogun used for high-ranking prisoners. The chamber was simple but elegantly appointed - polished wooden floors, skilfully woven mats, a small shrine in the corner. Three of the walls were masterfully joined wood, thicker than the usual walls of a home. There would be no breaking through them. The fourth wall was punctuated by a rice-paper door; he knew that outside that door at least two armed guards stood watch.

His wounds had been treated and dressed. Though it hurt to move he rose to examine himself. It was clear that he had been kept alive for a reason; it would have been a simple enough thing to kill him where he had fallen, but instead he had been brought back to the castle and tended by a skilled physician. Why was he still alive?

As he pondered this question the door slid open and a bent old man entered. If he felt any surprise at seeing Ryuu awake and standing he showed no outward sign, only moved to him and gestured for him to sit. Ryuu did so, and the old man examined his dressings.

Ryuu waited a short time for the old man to speak, but the doctor made not so much as a grunt as he changed Ryuu's bandages. Finally Ryuu asked,

"Why am I here? Why have I been brought here?"

The old man stared at him with watery blank eyes.

Ryuu continued, "I am a captain of the Shogun's army. Why am I being held prisoner?"

The old man turned his attention back to Ryuu's injuries. If he knew anything - which Ryuu now thought unlikely - he would not reveal it. Ryuu would learn nothing from him.

The old man left after cleaning Ryuu's wounds. Some time later the door slid back and two guards entered, one with hand on sword and the other bearing a tray of food. Fresh fish, hot green tea, sugared rice cakes. Ryuu ate, wondering why he would be held prisoner yet afforded such fine fare.

It was only after his meal was finished that his thoughts turned to his family, and once again despair washed over him. He was a warrior, stoic and brave, but in the darkening cell he wept with complete abandon for the lives of his wife and son and daughter.

When he awoke the next morning his tray had been cleared and fresh food had been brought. Though he was without appetite he forced himself to eat, chewing mechanically.

The physician returned at some point and as before he treated Ryuu's wounds without a sound. Food was brought. Night fell.

The days became a pattern while Ryuu's frustration grew. Why was he here? Why was he being kept alive?

Finally one morning the door to his cell slid back and instead of the doctor his friend Naoki entered. Ryuu rose to greet him. When the door had been closed Naoki held him in a long embrace, then looked at Ryuu with shining eyes. He said,

"Mei and the children have been taken to lie with your ancestors."

Ryuu felt a rush of both pain and relief. In his darkest thoughts he had envisioned the bodies of his family desecrated and dishonored. He held his friend close and thanked him from his soul.

After a long, quiet moment they sat and Ryuu poured tea. They were silent for a time, Ryuu lost in thought while Naoki waited for his friend. Finally Ryuu asked the question he'd been pondering since he awoke after the battle:

"Naoki, why am I alive?"

Naoki sighed and set his cup down. He stared at the floor for a long moment as if trying to determine how to say what he had to. Finally he said,

"You are alive because the Shogun is unsure of what to do with you."

Ryuu was shocked.

"What do you mean? I do not even know why I am being held! My family has been slaughtered and instead of support I am taken as a hostage might be?"

Naoki looked at him with dismay.

"Do you not know who it was you fought at your home?" he asked.

Ryuu was startled. He had not even thought to consider his foes; he had assumed they were soldiers serving one of the Shogun's many rival warlords.

Naoki said, "The men you slew were the Shogun's private house guard."

Ryuu felt the blood drain from his face. Naoki continued,

"It's true. Hiroshi sent them to your house to kill you and your family. That tattooed bastard convinced the commander of the household guard that you intended to assassinate the Shogun, and that you and Mei and the children must be killed to protect our master."

All at once it all fell into place. Ryuu and Naoki had long held suspicions about Hiroshi, one of the Shogun's closest and most trusted advisors; they were certain that he was working to undermine and overthrow the Shogun, serving one of his master's many enemies. They knew, however, that they must have indisputable evidence before they could bring their suspicions to their master.

Finally that evidence had come in the form of a courier bearing messages and payment to Hiroshi. Naoki and Ryuu prepared to present the evidence to the Shogun when he returned from his hunting expedition.

Before they could make their accusations, however, one of Hiroshi's spies had found about their evidence, and had told Hiroshi, who decided to strike before he could be revealed. He had gone to the captain of the Shogun's bodyguards with a tale of Ryuu's betrayal, and had commanded that Ryuu and his family be slain.

Ryuu knew many of the men that had served in the household guard; he had trained with them and fought beside them in many battles. He knew they would hate him now; regardless of his reasons he had killed and maimed many of their number and they would hate him. He sighed as Naoki went on.

"After giving the order to kill you, Hiroshi fled. We received reports from one of our patrols that he has disappeared with his entire household."

Ryuu contemplated this for a moment, then felt a dawning hope.

"Naoki, do you not see what this means? By fleeing he has confessed his guilt! The Shogun must see that I am a victim of deceit!"

Naoki stared at the polished boards of the floor with anguish on his face.

"Ryuu..." he began, then stopped as his voice became choked. Finally he continued,

"If only it were that simple. You know that our master serves at the whim of the emperor."

Ryuu nodded impatiently.

"And you know that the Shogun is beset by many enemies who would see him dead and take his place at the emperor's side." Again Ryuu nodded. Why was Naoki explaining what he already knew?

"The emperor must have full confidence in his Shogun," Naoki said, "He must know that his Shogun’s strength is unquestionable." He stopped, as if that had explained everything.

Ryuu looked at him blankly.

Naoki leaned in closely, frustration and sorrow on his face.

"You have slain most of the Shogun's household guard! How can he allow you to remain in his service? How can the emperor trust him if he cannot even keep his own household in order?"

Ryuu sat back, the truth of the matter dawning on him.

His master served at the emperor's pleasure. Recently many rivals had arisen challenging his place at the emperor's side, but the Shogun had kept the emperor's confidence through demonstrations of strength and unity.

If it were known that one of the Shogun's own captains had slain many of his guard, no matter the reason, it would cast serious doubt on the stability of the Shogun's household. Hiroshi had played a masterful move: either Ryuu and his family would be slain and removed as obstacles, or Ryuu would survive and cast doubt on the Shogun's control of his own army. In either case, the Shogun would be diminished in the Emperor's eyes.

Ryuu grimaced, realizing the extent of Hiroshi's plan. Then he noticed Naoki's anguished eyes watching him.

"What is it?" he asked of his childhood friend.

Naoki remained speechless for some time, his jaw clenched as if to contain the words he did not want to utter. Finally he spoke.

"The Shogun has reached a decision."

Ryuu felt a chill creep over him.

"The Shogun is merciful," Naoki murmured in a tone that indicated that he wished he believed what he was saying.

"He will allow you to regain your honor for both you and your family."

Ryuu realized with resignation what was to come.

"He will allow you to take your own life."

* * * * *

The morning of the last day of Ryuu's life had dawned cool and humid, but the rising sun had burned off the fog and the day had quickly become warm and dry. Some time during the morning a quiet and guarded woman had come to Ryuu's cell bearing clean clothing, all of white. She looked at Ryuu with an expression that might have been pity; then again, it might have been disgust, he could not know.

He ate sat waiting with turmoil in his heart. He might open the door to his cell to try to escape...but there were armed guards outside, and he had no weapons of any sort - and the guards who stood watch over him were not simple footsoldiers, but seasoned warriors.

Mei's face rose in his memory. How could he leave this life without finding justice and vengeance for her and the children? But even if there were a way to escape his captivity, it would only bring shame and dishonor on his family and their memory. All he had sought to work for, his entire life would be destroyed. He knelt at the altar and prayed for the calm to accept his fate.

Finally the door slid back and Naoki stood before him, face composed but eyes rimmed in red.

"It is time," he said.

Ryuu closed his eyes and gathered himself. He rose and walked out with Naoki.

Though his cell had not been especially dark, the direct sunlight blinded Ryuu for a moment. He stood still, gathering his bearings, then abruptly sneezed. He was struck by the absurdity and laughed out loud but his amusement vanished when he saw the look of sorrow on his friend's face.

As Naoki led him along a garden path Ryuu found his heart racing and his mind spinning. There was so much undone, so much unsaid and unfinished. How could this be the end? There was too much still to do! Mei...Mei and the children....suddenly his head was too light and the world began to grow dark and distant. He stopped and closed his eyes. For a long moment it seemed as if the world had vanished in a rushing noise and blackness.

When he opened his eyes again he found himself looking at a small bridge that crossed a rushing stream. The late morning had grown still and quiet, the silence broken by the sound of the stream flowing through the artfully constructed stream bed. A quiet hushing sound blew through the bamboo that grew nearby. Though the day was warm a cool breeze touched Ryuu's cheeks and he lifted his chin to feel the wind on his face.

Finally he realized that he had been standing motionless for some time and that Naoki stood waiting patiently at his side. He nodded silently, and crossed the bridge.

They came to a clearing where a pavilion had been erected. Men sat in the shade of the tent, their faces shadowed and dark. Before the pavilion a low lacquered table rested on a plain tatami mat. A quill and a few sheets of paper lay on the table.

Ryuu moved to the mat and turned to observe the vista that would be his last sight of this world.

The clearing lay alongside the stream he had crossed earlier; it ran nearby with a loud rushing sound. It tumbled down a hillside in a torrent until it met a wide lake that spread below. Willows and cherry trees stood alongside the stream banks, bending towards the water as if to drink.

Ryuu felt his legs weaken and realized he must sit quickly or he would tumble to the ground in indignity. He sat, perhaps more quickly that he would have preferred, and arranged his robes around him. He gazed out on the view before him and tried to gather his breath.

Finally he picked up the quill on the table and brought the paper to him. He paused for a long moment looking out over the lake, then pulled the paper to him and wrote briefly. He then moved the paper aside, lay the pen down, and sat back.

A servant emerged and removed the table; another came forward with a tray of food. A meal he had eaten all his life: rice, fish, water. Though his stomach was knotted he ate.

His meal done, his tray was cleared. There. In front of him was laid a simple wakizashi, blade wrapped thickly in paper that would keep his fingers from being cut open. He found he was unable to lift his arms anymore. He felt a sudden panic that he would be unable to do what must be done.

He heard Naoki stand behind him, heard Naoki's katana being drawn. He knew that Naoki would strike true, that his agony would not last long. He watched the stream rushing along nearby, noted how the tiny splashes that leapt into the air fell back into the stream and disappeared. He saw Mei's face on the water, calling him.

He closed his eyes again, and drew a deep breath. As he released it he opened his eyes.

The world spread before him. The water moved on.

He picked up the blade before him, its edge shining like water.

With a smile, he let his spirit go and it flew free and unbound into the universe.

* * * * *

The spring blossoms fall
On rushing crystal waters
And float out of thought