Lady Samurai

Chapter 35

It was a very long time to wait.

Immediately after his conversation with the Emperor, Lord Takeda sent one of his men to Kanagawa, to report on the progress of the negotiations. He was to alert his master as soon as Hayashi and all the Shōgun's people departed.

Every day the Lord woke expecting good news and every night he was forced to retire disappointed. He was impatient and irritable... Waiting didn't lay in his nature. He tried to occupy himself with court matters, but now, more than ever, he couldn't force himself to care about it.

He missed Anna more than ever.

Before, he had resigned himself to the circumstances that separated them and suppressed his feelings for her. After his conversation with the Emperor he dared to hope that there could be a future for them and his feelings consumed him entirely. He just couldn't wait to return to Kanagawa and... to her. Searching his mind and soul, he realised that he loved her... More than he ever loved anyone. More than he had ever imagined was possible.

He felt trapped in Kyōto, surrounded by court politics and forced to conceal his feelings. He knew that many would disapprove of his attachment to Gai-Jin...

When the welcomed news of the conclusion to the negotiations had finally arrived, he ordered his men to get ready and they left without delay. He did not divulge their destination to anyone, but Nabutada.

"We are going back to Kanagawa?!" Exclaimed his chief retainer, surprised. "But why?!"

"The Emperor's orders." Lord Takeda cut the discussion.

"My Lord, is that why Kazuki was left there?"

"In a way." The Lord wasn't ready to talk about Anna just yet.

He abandoned his whole entourage in Kyōto, ordering Jiro to lead it back to his domain, and left the city with only his mounted guard. He didn't want any delays. They rode hard and two days later they were almost there.

"Nabutada, send someone to make sure that Hayashi is really gone. We don't want to bump into him."

Waiting for the scout to return, they set up a camp. But Lord Takeda couldn't find himself a place. He was impatient to go back and any moment wasted here was unbearable. But he forced himself to still his body and mind. He couldn't allow his people to see him so agitated.

When the scout returned, reporting that the negotiators had indeed departed the previous day, the Lord jumped into his saddle and rode ahead of his men, forcing his mount to the top speed. Even before he jumped off the horse at his residence, he ordered Kazuki to be found and brought to him immediately.

Servants were scuttling around in panic, preparing a meal and new clothes. The quiet routine of their lives was greatly disturbed by this unannounced visit. Their Lord never visited more than once a year. And now they were all wondering if it had something to do with the Gai-Jin woman...

Waiting for Kazuki, Lord Takeda took a quick bath and changed into a fresh kimono. When a visitor was announced, the Lord ordered him to be brought in straight away. But to his great surprise, it was not Kazuki, who entered.

"My Lord." The man dropped to his knees. He had never before spoken to his master.

"Who are you?"

"My Lord, I am Fujiyama Yoshi..."

"Where is Kazuki?" The Lord cut him off.

"He followed Lady Ana."

"What?! Tell me everything you know."

"My Lord, something happened two days ago. After the Treaty had been signed, there was a great feast in honour of the foreigners. The woman left earlier and the soldier followed her to the inn. I do not know what happened there, but the next morning Kazuki and Ana-San were gone and the soldier was very agitated. It looked like somebody had attacked him. But the ships were about to leave and he couldn't stay any longer... Before he left, Kazuki had given orders to keep watching Gai-Jin until his return or until other orders arrive. That's all, My Lord." The man bowed again.

The news of Anna's disappearance hit him hard. He had not expected her to be able to leave so soon. But he also breathed a sigh of relief, hearing that she was safe and unharmed. Even if the soldier had tried to hurt her, Kazuki proved to be as efficient as ever, protecting her.

But what was he to do now? He didn't even know where she was going... How was he to find her?!

All of a sudden the Lord felt exhausted. In his haste to get back to Lottie he didn't pause to rest and now he felt an overwhelming fatigue.

With a wave of a hand he dismissed Fujiyama and sent everybody away. After that he collapsed onto his futon and fell asleep instantly.

*

He woke up the next day with a clear head and a new determination.

During his morning meal he carefully considered all the options and decided on a course of action. He felt calmer now, although still regretted that he had missed Anna.

He called Nabutada and gave him the orders. "You are to take half of the men and go north. Split them into small groups and send to search every village on the west coast, from here to my lands."

"Who are we looking for?" Nabutada asked, though he had already had an idea.

"We need to find Ana-San. She is still in danger... And the Emperor himself ordered me to bring her to Kyōto."

Nabutada didn't pretend to understand that, but he bowed to his Lord with a deep respect and left immediately to follow his master's orders.

Lord Takeda would take the remaining samurai and also follow north. He was going home, but planned to visit some villages on the way...