Tea for a Crane
a very short story, set in the world of Legend of the Five Rings
The wind slid softly through the long grass, which rustled and crackled as the flames rose. It was a hot summer and the fire had taken the dry foliage easily. Shosuro Ryotoro held his borrowed katana high in an equally borrowed form. His white and red ill-fitting kimono swayed in the white smoke. Daidoji Hirotada stood as straight as a tree, and just as flexible. His kimono was pale blue and without blemish or crease.
“You will fall here, and your treachery will be taken in flame.” his voice was more a sneer. Ryotoro said nothing. He had not perfected the Hare clan accent yet and this foppish Crane may recognise him from earlier in the day. It had been a minor trial to serve him drinks in the Inn of the Golden Poppy. The Crane had been arrogant and stank of flowers, ordering the innkeeper like he owned the place. Ryotoro wondered idly if he bathed in perfume.
When the strike came it came fast and perfect. Ryotoro was expecting it but still almost failed to stop the glowing sapphire blade from decapitating him. The strike was followed up by three quick slices from a well-known Crane form that managed to cut small ribbons from the Hare kimono’s sleeves and hem. It was all Ryotoro could do prevent himself from laughing. The Crane thought he was skilled and to a real Hare Bushi he undoubtably would be. His form was good though unimaginative. He had no clue what it took to fight in a style not his own and make it believable.
In a perfect Empire, Ryotoro would have spent weeks watching and practicing the esoteric style of the Hare clan, but this was not to be. He had been dispatched with only a two days to prepare. A day sweeping the floor of the Hare dojo as a lowly Eta, observing the training would have to be enough. Luckily the Hirotada was as ignorant as he was arrogant.
Ryotoro countered with a flourish he had seen one young Hare try without success. There was a slight satisfaction as the counter worked for him. The young Hare was most likely dead or dying in the fire. Hirotada stepped back, a small cut on his forearm staining his pressed and laundered Blue Kimono. There was a barely perceptible twitch in Hirotada’s demeanour. The Crane was furious.
“Your skill is irrelevant. Justice is on my side.” Hirotada spat. Justice. The stench of death and fire was the Crane’s idea of justice. Ryotoro felt the hairs on the back of his hand curl, and he stepped away from the encroaching flames. Hirotada took the opportunity and swept his blade round in a wide arc. Ryotoro flailed wildly, playing up the young Hare trying desperately to parry but it wasn’t necessary. At the apex of the swing, Hirotada doubled up. The weight of the moving Katana nearly pulled him onto the ground.
“Finally!” Abandoning all pretence, he stuck the borrowed Hare katana in the ground point first and pulled off his Kimono, throwing it to the fire. He risked turning his back on the Crane to pull off his false nose and beard and stow them in a pouch. He affixed a mask of red silk cloth over his mouth and nose.
Ryotoro now wore simple travelling clothes of similar colour to the surrounding ochre grasses. He turned back to see the Crane had dropped to the floor and he was coughing. The ground under his hacking and retching was stained crimson. Ryotoro picked up the borrowed Katana and approached Hirotada.
“I hope you enjoyed your tea Crane-Sama.” The Crane coughed again, spraying a red mist onto his hands. “Your arrogance ends today. The Empire is not made stronger by indiscriminate death.” said Ryotoro. “The spirits of the Hare here and in the villages before it, will lubricate your journey to Gaki-do. May you be reborn as something infinitely more honourable.”
Ryotoro swung the borrowed Katana only once. Dadoji Hirotada’s head rolled clumsily onto the floor and was lost in the flame wreathed long grass. He threw down the sword and wrapped the Hare kimono round his head and hands. He sprang into the fire and smoke and was long gone before any of the Crane Ashigaru noticed that their Lord was dead.