The Way Of The Dragon by Chris Bradford Read Free Book Online Page A

desperate for his approval.
    Perhaps there was some hope for Yamato and Akiko of going back to the
Niten Ichi Ryū
, but Jack doubted he would ever be allowed to return.
    ‘It’ll be like old times. Remember when we used to spar with our
bokken
over there?’ said Yamato merrily, indicating a bare patch of training ground at the back of the house.
    Jack nodded.
    ‘And he used to thrash you!’ cried a small voice.
    Jack turned round to see a young boy thundering full pelt across the wooden bridge towards them.
    ‘Jiro!’ exclaimed Jack as the boy ran into his arms.
    Apart from Akiko, Jiro – her brother – had been Jack’s only companion in those early months following his arrival. Back then, he and Yamato hadn’t been friends. Jiro was quite right. Their sparring sessions had been more an excuse for Yamato to beat him up. Yamato’s harsh instruction, though, had helped Jack learn the basics of sword fighting and this had led him to be invited by Masamoto to train at the
Niten Ichi Ryū
, the One School of Two Heavens.
    ‘You’ve grown,’ observed Jack, measuring up the grinning brown-eyed boy.
    ‘Big enough to carry a sword now!’ Jiro replied in a defiant tone.
    ‘Is that right?’ said Jack, raising his eyebrows at Yamato. ‘Think you’re big enough to challenge me, do you?’
    ‘No problem,’ said Jiro, resting his fists upon his hips.
    ‘A duel!’ exclaimed Yamato in mock horror. ‘There’s no escape for you, Jack. I’ll be the judge. Jiro, get your
bokken
.’
    Thrilled at the prospect, Jiro sprinted off to get his wooden sword. It reminded Jack of his own excitement when he’d first trained in the Way of the Warrior. But the opportunity to become a samurai had given Jack more than just a thrill. It had given him hope. For with such fighting skills at his disposal, Jack had a chance of survival. Maybe even of defeating Dragon Eye.
    ‘Yamato,’ he asked, while they waited for Jiro to return, ‘why were you so convinced the old woman in the Dragon Temple was lying? Isn’t there a chance Hattori Tatsuo could have survived to become Dokugan Ryu?’
    Yamato rolled his eyes, clearly exasperated that Jack was still pursuing the idea after three days. ‘That hag was crazy. She was playing a sick joke on you. Tatsuo died in the Nakasendo War ten years ago.’
    ‘How do you know that for sure?’
    ‘I
know
because my father was
daimyo
Takatomi’s personal bodyguard at the time. My father saw Tatsuo’s beheading with his own eyes.’
    Jack was momentarily stunned into silence. Before he could ask more, though, Jiro came charging out of the house, wielding his
bokken
. He fought his way in mock combat across the garden. Jack couldn’t believe the old woman had made everything up. There
had
to be a grain of truth in her story. But maybe she was as convinced in her tale as Jiro was in battling his imaginary ninja.

7
THE PEARL

    ‘Hurry up, Jack!’ urged Akiko. ‘The sun’s about to rise.’
    Akiko trotted ahead on her white stallion, the same one Jack had seen her with the morning after the
Alexandria
had been shipwrecked off the coast of Japan. It had been dawn and she’d been praying at a temple overlooking the cove where their ship lay. Jack had spotted the horse before being transfixed by the sight of a dark-haired girl, her skin white as snow. Akiko had been his first impression of Japan.
    ‘The darned thing won’t obey me,’ complained Jack, struggling to stay mounted on his smaller brown mare. ‘Give me a ship any time!’
    He bounced along the coastal path behind her, gripping tighter to the mane and desperately trying to match the horse’s rhythm. Having been a sailor, Jack had never learnt to ride. The closest experience he’d had was riding the bucking yardarm of the
Alexandria
in a storm.
    ‘You managed to ride all the way from Kyoto to Toba,’ noted Akiko.
    ‘Yes, but I rode with Kuma-san on his horse. And look what happened! We got thrown, he dislocated his shoulder and