Ninja Love: Saizo Kirigakure

Chapter 15

We were taken to a separate part of the temple, after bathing and changing, which I learned doubled as Master Hanzo's house. It was a huge house for just one person, and it was very neat. A servant showed us to our room and he also assured us that Sakura and Mamoru would be taken to the stables to be fed and washed. Even though we were now in Iga, Hanzo thought it was best for Saizo to continue to share a room with me, but I managed to haggle it down to adjoining rooms on the condition that the separating door remain open at all times. I suppose it didn't bother me as much as it did while we were on the road, but it was still rather awkward.

The room was small but cozy. It contained a futon, a closet, and a dresser, with a small window facing the fields. It was decorated with designs of the prophecy, none of which came close to the detail and beauty of the ones back in Kawachinokuni. Saizo's was much the same as mine, with the exception that his had images of dragons on the walls. After changing, we started unpacking what little we had brought with us, and my mind started to drift back to my hometown.

Thinking back on the temple where I grew up, I felt a great sense of sadness. How long would I be without seeing grandfather and the other villagers again? I didn't like the idea of staying away too long.

Apparently, I had begun to make faces as I thought, because Saizo came over and started talking to me.

"Why the troubled face?" He plopped himself down next to me on my futon.

"I was just thinking about grandfather and everyone back home." I sighed and resigned myself to finishing unpacking. Saizo watched me carefully as i folded my kimono from the temple and placed it in the drawer.

"It must be hard to be so far away from home." He glanced at me sympathetically.

"It is." I wiped the mist out of my eyes.

He looked as if he was about to say something else, but a knock at the door cut him short. I opened it and saw a servant standing in with his head bowed.

"Princess, Master Saizo, the call for dinner has gone out and we will be eating shortly. The meal will be in the main hall of the temple where you met with Master Hanzo." The servant bowed quickly before disappearing.

I looked back at Saizo. "Well, Master Saizo, shall we take our leave?"

Saizo cracked a tiny smile and ruffled my hair. “Ready when you are, my liege.”

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Reaching the front of the temple, I was surprised to see Master Hanzo standing out front to meet us, but what surprised me even more was Saizo's reaction. Although he had hardly spoken in the meeting hall, he now greeted Hanzo with great formality.

"We are honored to have you greet us personally." He bowed his head as Hanzo chuckled, not noticing my confused look.

Well he sure knows when to be nice to people… His behavior and choice of words are totally different when he’s with me.

As I stood, waiting for Saizo to quit obsessing over how kind it was of Hanzo to come meet us, I heard an odd flapping noise coming from behind me. I turned around just in time to see a grey and white falcon fly dangerously close to my head!

I let out a small squeak, capturing both men’s attention. Saizo kept his face expressionless, watching the falcon as it landed on the arm of a smiling Hanzo.

“It’s a message from Kishu. Thanks Hayatemaru.” Hanzo stroked the falcon’s neck after unrolling the scroll tied to it’s leg.

“Is that your falcon, Master Hanzo?” I smiled at the creature, gazing into it’s piercing black eyes.

“Yes. I’ve been taking care of him since I was a small boy.” Hanzo whispered something to Hayatemaru before sending him soaring into the sky.

I stared in awe at the majesty of the falcon. “Hayatemaru!” I called out to the bird and held out my arm, after wrapping a section of my kimono sleeve around it. Sure enough, Hayatemaru flapped over to me and landed gracefully on my arm. He was a little heavier than I expected, so my arm drooped a little before I became accustomed to his weight.

I turned proudly to face Saizo and Hanzo; supporting Hayatemaru with only one arm was quite a feat for me. I didn’t, however, think it was amazing enough for both their jaws to practically be on the floor.

“Geez you guys, did you really think I was that weak?” I put my other hand on my hip skeptically.

For the first time in a while, Saizo spoke up. “No, it’s just that Hayatemaru hates anyone who isn’t Hanzo. He is constantly having to be called off of a villager when they get too close to him. It took me two years just to get him to let me stand next to Hanzo!” Saizo gestured to a long scar running down his forearm. “This is what I got after the first time I tried.”

Hanzo was still speechless. I chuckled a little at his facial expression.

“Master Hanzo, you’ll start to attract flies if you keep your mouth hanging open like that. Its not anything incredible. I’ve always been unusually well-liked by animals.”

Without Master Hanzo noticing, Saizo muttered to me, “Well I guess it makes sense since you’re so close to them.” I rolled my eyes, deciding to keep my complaints to myself.

Hanzo’s mouth snapped shut and he averted his eyes in response to my observation, obviously a little embarrassed. “Well, um, shall we go eat? Everyone else has arrived and I’ll read the message from Kishu during the feast.” He scratched his head and reassumed his previous formal demeanor.

I smiled and nodded, trying to keep my stomach from growling at the mention of food. “That sounds great.”