Coming to the edge of the lantern-maker's shop, Nishi held up her hand, signalling Yoshi to stop. It was full light now and Nishi felt terribly exposed - but to attempt to cross too early might look suspicious. Two peasants finished reloading their wagon with the loads that had been tumbled by the guards and with much groaning, began to push their load up the incline of the bridge. Waving Yoshi forward, Nishi began to walk toward the guards in what she hoped was a nonchalant fashion.
One guard halted them with a casual wave of his spear, and held out his hand for their papers, not speaking. As Nishi had hoped, they were tired, their shift ending and after a cursory examination of their papers - prominently marked with the magistrate's seal - waved them forward. As Nishi and Yoshi crossed the bridge, they could hear the shouts behind them of the next shift of guards arriving. Nishi got a crawling feeling along her spine, but forced herself not to look back. After a moment, she relaxed, as nothing in the exchange of greetings suggested anything had yet been discovered to be amiss.
Their entry into Kubota was as uneventful as leaving the Arai desmesne had been. The guards there scanned their papers, which authorised them to pass through Kubota on a journey to the southern town of Nigata. Yoshi's height drew some stares, but these turned to grins and wishes of good fortune when Nishi explained that he was going to Nigata to be trained in sumo by a master there.
They entered the city and had walked less than a block when a man stepped from a doorway and fell into step with them.
"I was a bit surprised to see the two of you at the bridge - although I suppose I shouldn't have been. Yoshi was hard enough to forget, but I didn't recognise you until I saw you at the inn, Hotaru-no-suke. Or should I call you Rinzo?" Saito turned and regarded the two of them with a mildly interested expression. "There is a certain priest back in Ariki, who would like to talk with you, I think."
Nishi's hand was a blur as she snatched her katana partially out of its saya. Realising what she had just done, Nishi quickly slid the weapon back home while scowling darkly at the tall priest's form. "Be that as it may," she growled huskily, "I have no desire to speak with him."
Yoshi's eyebrows had risen in a comical expression of surprise at Saito's revelation.
Giving Yoshi a quick glance to see his reaction, Nishi turned back to Saito. "You seem to know me better than I would like. I think it would be best if we stopped for breakfast so we may speak of what we know. What do you say, Saito-san... if that is your real name."
Yoshi frowned. "No reason to be rude to the yamahoshi, Nishi." He looked around, but the guards at the bridge far behind them were oblivious, and nothing looked out of the ordinary. "I am hungry, though."
"So then. Breakfast first. Discussion later." Saito returned. He turned and headed down a narrow street, saying over his shoulder "Perhaps somewhere a little less conspicous though."
The street wandered for some distance paralleling the river, at times threatening to close off, but never doing so. Nishi and Yoshi became aware of the crying of gulls only shortly before the street ended in a narrow terrace. Steps led down to steep streets below, almost hidden among the thatched roofs that descended from the terrace. Beyond that, the river widened as it merged imperceptibly with the bay, hatched with the masts of ships moored invisibly behind the houses and glittering weakly in the autumn morning sunlight.
Saito seated himself on a bench outside a small inn and gestured for them to join him. At the same time he bellowed "Ho! Innkeeper! There are thirsty throats and empty bellies at your door!"
An elderly man appeared at the door, muttering "Well, why don't you bring them in...." his voice trailed off and he turned to look at the bay, shielding his eyes with his hand. In a brisker voice he announced "Well, it is a nice morning. I will bring tea and porridge out to you." before turning and almost dashing inside.
Behind him, Saito boomed "And fried fish too!"
Yoshi glanced off at the bay, a little surprised at the inkeeper's reaction. He'd had the impression that the inkeeper was going to say something else, for a moment. He plunked himself down on one of the benches, which creaked under the load, and smiled in simple enjoyment of the sunlight and the prospect of hot food.
Seating herself, Nishi carefully arranged her kimono and katana. "You seem to be well known here," she remarked, glancing over at Saito.
Saito chuckled. "Oh, I've stopped here from time to time. There are more sumptuous accomodations in Kubota, but few with such a pleasant view. The neighbours are quiet and incurious too."
Yoshi turned a friendly face to Saito. "It is nice to meet you again, Saito-san. Are you traveling on farther than Kubota?"
Saito leaned back against the wall behind him, for all the world at ease. "Oh yes. With what promises to be a bitter winter coming on, I'm thinking of heading south. A long way south actually. Also I have something to deliver for my master." His finger tapped the small sake barrel that habitually swung at his hip. "And Yoshi - what about you and your friend? I assume you have not left your comfortable employment at the castle just to visit the Dragon Drum festival in Kubota?"
"No..." Nishi said slowly, "Yoshi and I were planning in heading further south as well."
Yoshi frowned. "Have we met before? How did you know I worked at the castle?"
"Yes Saito-san," Nishi said in a slightly sarcastic tone, "you seem to know far more about us than I like."
Saito smiled and there was something predatory in it. "I know a little and I can guess more. As for Yoshi, I've seen him when I... visited the castle." Turning to Yoshi, he commented "You're not easy to overlook - or to forget. I recognized you at once at the bridge. It took me a little longer to recognize Nishi. Not until the inn in fact. There I heard your voice and recognized it before I saw you. And you and I" he said, turning back to Nishi "have - or had - a friend in common at the castle too. Tomoe." As he spoke the name, an expression of sadness passed across his face.
"I... see..." Nishi whispered in a low voice.
"Anyway, she is gone from us now, and I have another errand. Speak openly now. Where are you going and what do you intend to do? The retainers of the new lord are searching for a very large man and a small man. There is in fact a large reward for the bodies of these men, which means that even leaving the Arai desmenses will not keep you safe."
Glancing at Yoshi for a moment, Nishi ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it back off of her face before turning back to Saito. "I... we are heading south, hoping to meet up with the Lord Arai. I have news concerning events within White Feather Castle that he will need to know before he tries to return." She paused and shot Yoshi a meaningful look, "I am currently adopting the guise of a woman to try and avoid detection by Arai soldiers. If the need arises I will become someone else."
Yoshi ignored the look Nishi gave him, his focus on Saito. "You knew Tomoe, the trusted retainer of Lord Arai? Did you know Kaneko Gohei, also?"
"I did." Saito replied. " Rumor has it that he is dead too. Certainly no honorable retainer would have survived his lord very long. And also.." He broke off. "Ah! Here is our breakfast."
He reached into his obi and slipped out several coins, far too much for the simple breakfast and passed it to the innkeeper whose eyes widened in astonishment. Saito raised one hand to silence him and said "Shin, we're looking for passage south on a boat. Can you find one for us? I'm eager to be under way while the weather is still good."
Nishi stared at Saito for several long moments, trying to decide exactly what he was implying by 'no honorable retainer'... And what _was_ he planning on delivering to 'his master'? Turning away from Saito, Nishi glanced out towards the distant ocean.
"Saito..." she said slowly, "you make it sound as if you know the exact location of Lord Arai. How long do you believe it will take us to get there?"
"With good fortune and good weather, no more than a couple of weeks. But as for knowing where the lord is... I don't. I do know however, where someone who should, might be. I am willing to take you with me since you seem to be loyal retainers." Saito raised one large hand and shook a finger at the two of them. "If I even suspect that is not the case, I will kill you without hesitation."
Nishi gave Saito a blank stare, "I guess that makes us even then, for I was more than ready to kill you earlier, thinking you to be an agent of the Black Priest." Yoshi laughed, splattering fish soup. "And I was planning on killing both of you! But I decided to have breakfast instead."