over the garden, and, finally, admired the statues that stood above a tiny rock garden in one of the corners.
«Mariko…» She heard Ayame’s voice and noticed the woman standing by one of the doors. «Master Ryuu wanted to speak to you.»
Kara felt shame that she had to leave such a beautiful and tranquil place, but she knew that if she refused to see the lord commander of this castle – the consequences might be dire. So she nodded and followed Ayame inside.
Ayame took her to one of the halls Kara had never been to before – it was a large, well-lit hall that had various paintings on the walls. On the far side of this hall Kara noticed a luxurious cushion – one of those that were usually used by the shogun in ancient Japan.
On it sat her captor – the lord commander of the castle.
Once he saw her come in, he nodded and offered her to walk up.
Ayame and the shinobi stayed at the doors, while Kara walked up – close enough to hear what the commander had to say, but not too close so that she wouldn’t offend him. She bowed to him, even though it was still hard to do because of her injured shoulder.
The lord commander looked to the side and nodded, and immediately a servant ran out from behind a screen and lay down a small cushion on the floor beneath Kara’s feet. She sat down in the manner people here were used to – on her knees, with her feet under her.
Some why she felt the need to bow again to the lord – only this time – very low, almost touching the floor with her forehead. Usually this meant leaning on both hands, but she had only one – her left arm was wrapped tightly to her torso, so that the dislocated shoulder could heal.
The man in front of her smirked.
«You know our etiquette well, Mariko.» He said.
«I learn quickly.» She replied looking at him.
«Good.» He nodded again. «Now, I have called you here for a number of reasons. First of all, accept my deepest apologies for the attack that happened to you a few days ago. Such behaviour is below a samurai and the men responsible will be punished.»
«Thank you.»
The lord shouted something and the screen doors on one side of this chamber slid open. Kara looked outside and saw a small courtyard, where her three attackers stood kneeling and strapped up by their arms to bamboo poles.
The lord commander stood up and walked up to the doors, gesturing Kara to come too. The woman had some trouble standing up, but when she managed it and approached the lord, he looked at her with a strange expression on his face.
«Inei wanted to execute them at once, but I decided that you should be able to see them being punished for the horrible crime they have committed against you.» The lord said.
Kara looked back and noticed the shinobi nod to her.
«You are here to see the execution and, if you wish, carry it out yourself.» The commander said and Kara looked at him with surprise.
She took a moment to recollect herself.
«I beg your forgiveness, my lord, but I am in no shape to carry out an execution.» She replied.
«Perhaps, you would like to name someone in your stead?»
Kara looked at the shinobi again and noticed his eyes flash with a dark will to do it if it pleased her.
«Inei!» the lord commander shouted and the shinobi ran up to them and knelt.
For a few moments he was looking down, but then looked at Kara and she suddenly noticed something she wasn’t able to see all this time – the shinobi had deep blue eyes.
«Would you be willing to be my hands today?» Kara asked him, and the shinobi nodded and stood up, unsheathing his katana.
Silent as always, he walked out into the courtyard and approached the first prisoner.
Inei stopped for a second, turned to face Kara and his commander, and with a swift move ended the man’s life, chopping his head off. He stepped to the next one and once again raised his sword and swiftly decapitated the man. The third man started begging, but Inei walked up and ended his pleading with one move of his katana.
When the execution was done, Inei bowed to Kara and his commander and walked inside again.
As he was walking past Kara, she caught his arm and he froze mid-step.
«Thank you, Inei.» She said and the man gently freed his arm, turned to her and bowed before walking away to the doors.
«Now that this is done…» the lord commander smiled. «Would you like to join me for dinner tonight? I will be able to answer any questions you have.»
«It would be my honour.» Kara replied, bowing to him.
«Ayame! Please be so kind and find Mariko an appropriate haorihakama for tonight.»
«Yes, Lord Ryuu.» Ayame bowed.
As the lord of the castle left, Kara followed Ayame again. Inei walked behind her and she felt grateful for him being there. He did not only protect her that night, but went even further to help her understand that what those men wanted to do was not tolerated among the samurai living in Lord Ryuu’s employ.
It was a lot to take in, and she now felt a little safer having the shinobi by her side.
«Do you have any preferences to your clothing? Colours, ornaments?» Ayame asked, making Kara dive back to reality from her thoughts.
«Black, red, dark green.» Kara replied, naming her favourite colours. «As for the ornaments… I don’t know. Something without flowers. I don’t do well with flowers on my clothes.»
Ayame glanced at her for a second and smiled mysteriously.
«I think I have a perfect haori for you.» She said.
Kara was taken to the bath again, but this time there was a servant girl who helped Kara undress and bathe, since her shoulder was still injured. And when Kara got out, Ayame was already waiting with her new haorihakama.
At first glance Kara understood that this one was far more exquisite than the one she wore before. It was made from fine silk – plain black hakama and silk black haori with a beautiful tiger on one of the sleeves – with its head on the right shoulder.
Ayame helped Kara to get dressed, and the servant girl tied Kara’s long red hair into a beautiful braid.
Even though Kara had never been dressed, she knew – without help she would have taken forever to get into the clothes, since she still had her arm tied to her torso to let the shoulder heal.
«I found this in your old clothes…» Ayame showed Kara a plain leather string with a sword hanging on it. «I think you should have it back.»
She put it on Kara’s neck and smiled.
«Thank you.» Kara whispered, feeling very relieved that she got this little trinket back.
«Now you are ready, Mariko. Follow me.»
Kara didn’t object and very soon Ayame entered a small hall, where Lord Ryuu was already having a conversation with one of his men. He looked at the women and nodded, then sent the man he was speaking to away and gestured to the table.
«Please…» he said with a faint smile.
Kara watched as Ayame left, closing the door behind her. Feeling a little insecure, the young woman took her place on the opposite side of the table from Lord Ryuu.
«I know that we have started on a…» Lord Ryuu stopped for a moment, trying to find the correct words. «Bad page… is that how you say it? But I want you to know that we took you here not because we needed a captive.»
«Then why?»
«Well…» Lord Ryuu gestured