The Golden Naginata by Jessica Amanda Salmonson Read Free Book Online Page B

understanding of your weapons’ merits and limitations. Bokens are not swords, yet they are deadly weapons; therefore I have wrapped these in straw. If one of you kills the other by accident or intent, then both of you will have shown yourselves poor samurai. Your present duty is to Okio’s vengeance. When that is done, you may kill each other at leisure. I won’t say more. Nor will I be a witness.” Finishing his lecture, Shindo took up his sword and placed it in his sash. Then, with staff in hand, he stood and went into the house, not looking back.
    Hidemi Hirota took up the straw-wrapped bokens. He said, “The bonze was ill tempered the instant I informed him of the match. I don’t understand his complaint.” He let Tomoe choose first between the bokens. They were identical, but she weighed them both before choosing.
    Prince Tahara said to the fighters,
    â€œIt is unfortunate that Ich ’yama has alienated half his fellows. It is more unfortunate that Tomoe Gozen’s temper leads to this. It is almost as unfortunate that Hidemi encourages the fight and wants so badly for the ronin to be killed. Do as the bonze directed. Do not let there be a fourth unfortunate item for my list.”
    Hidemi gave Ich ’yama the remaining boken with far less ceremony. He said to the ronin, “Tomoe is famous! My own Lord has mentioned her merit with reverence and awe. There are perhaps five fencers anywhere in Naipon who could begin to stand against her. Think of that when she holds back and does not bruise you.”
    Ich ’yama took a stance facing Tomoe Gozen. Tomoe held her boken straight before, the hilt gripped firmly in both hands. She dug her toes into the soil of the garden. Ich ’yama slid his right foot closer.
    They clashed.
    Fell away.
    Bits of straw scattered in the air. Hidemi looked disappointed that the ronin was not touched. Prince Tahara looked surprised and began to watch more closely. Neither of the mock-fencers revealed their feelings.
    They circled one another. Ich ’yama gave ground, moving backward through a thicket. Unexpectedly, he moved forward, a blow aimed for the head. Tomoe went to one knee and blocked the cut, slipped out from under the boken and struck for Ich ’yama’s arm as she came back to both feet. A twist of the hand and he had stopped her counter cut. Again, they backed away from one another, bokens pointing outward from their centers.
    Already their brows were sweaty. It was a strain for them to hide their feelings. Neither had expected a close match. Both had thought to win instantly.
    The straw hung loose from the bokens, sad padding indeed. The pair engaged in another set of exchanges which proved neither one superior.
    â€œIt could go on all night!” said Hidemi Hirota. “How can a ronin be so good?”
    â€œShush!” the prince reprimanded. He and Hidemi followed the fighters through the large gardens, along paths or trampling through beds of flowers. There were no lanterns lit. As twilight became night, it was harder to see what was going on. Outside the garden, a koto played love melodies. Stars winked as darkness deepened.
    Tomoe stepped into a narrow brook which ran through the grounds. Ich ’yama rushed her with his sword held high and his trunk entirely exposed to a sideways cut. She tried for the swift strike, but slipped on algae in the rocky brook, as Ich ’yama must have expected. She started to block his blow but decided to let herself fall away instead, though it meant landing on her side in the shallow waters. Ich ’yama had not expected her to perform an undignified defense. As a result, he fell forward on the momentum of his own thrust and landed face down in pepper bushes. Where the pepper scratched him, it itched.
    Neither warrior looked very glamorous now, one soaked and the other scratched. Prince Shuzo called out, “Draw!”
    The two had regained their feet and faced one