Lord Takeda woke up early. Very gently, avoiding disturbing Anna, he rose and left the room, letting her sleep. The things he had to attend to were not for women's eyes. He dressed in a simple kimono and briskly walked to the very back of his residence, where he had ordered the prisoners to be kept overnight. His people undoubtedly had interrogated them already and the Lord expected some results.
Seeing him approach, Nabutada, his chief retainer, came out to meet him and bowed low with respect. "My Lord."
"Have they said anything?" Takeda demanded.
"No, My Lord. We tried everything, but they simply laughed in our faces!" Nabutada's own face twitched with suppressed anger.
"Somebody must have hired them!" The Lord was displeased. Not with his own people, though. But with these unknown conspirators, who had now attempted to kill him twice.
"What would you have us do with them, My Lord?" Nabutada didn't like it any more than his Lord.
"Have they any markings?"
"Nothing. Whoever pays them, didn't want to be identified. But..." He hesitated.
"Yes?" Lord Takeda trusted his samurai's instincts.
"My Lord, these are not some hired bandits. I think they are samurai. Or Ronin, at least."
"This could only mean one thing. That the ShÅgun, or somebody on his behalf, wants to get rid of me."
"They wouldn't dare!" Nabutada was indignant. "Not with Gai-Jin present."
"What better than to show who wields the real power?" Takeda was serious. "The sooner we leave the better. Dispatch a messenger to Lord Matsuda, informing him about the prisoners. Let him deal with that, as it is a local matter. Any other news?"
"Kazuki returned a short while ago." Nabutada didn't hide his disapproval, regarding the unorthodox arrangement with the man. "I told him to refresh himself first. He was filthy."
"Tell him to meet me immediately in the garden pavilion."
"Hai, My Lord." Nabutada bowed and hastened to follow his orders, while the Lord returned towards the main house and went to the garden.
The pavilion was situated in a perfect spot, designed to give the occupants maximum privacy, preventing any eavesdropping. It was standing at the centre of a clearing, giving straight lines of sight in all directions, but was also surrounded in a wide circle by the beautiful flowers, that lent the whole place a feeling of tranquillity.
Kazuki arrived a few moments later. He was still dirty and smelled horrible, but the Lord had no time for useless sensitivity. He wrinkled his nose slightly, but was intent on ignoring any distractions. "Have you found anything?" He asked to the point.
"My Lord." Kazuki was careful to position himself down the wind from his master, in a way that the morning breeze took away most of the smell. "You were right. There was a plot to kill. I have managed to uncover the spy and to intercept the messages to his master..."
Takeda looked at him with anticipation. Yet Kazuki hesitated for a brief moment.
"What is it?!" The Lord demanded impatiently.
"My Lord, the orders came indirectly from SaitÅ Matsuishi. We have no concrete proof, but he was behind it from the beginning. Yet... you were not the intended target."
"What?!" Takeda was startled by these news. "Explain!"
"My Lord, the messages were very clear that both assassination attempts were directed against... the Gai-Jin woman."
"Ana-San?!... But why?!" He couldn't comprehend it. 'Why would anyone try to kill her?... Why would SaitÅ want to kill her?' He corrected himself. How could his enemies even know about her? To them she was just one insignificant Gai-Jin.
"I can only guess, My Lord. But it seems probable that they were trying to impede the negotiations." Kazuki voiced his opinion. "Without the interpreter, the whole affair could be delayed indefinitely."
"So, that's the reason they waited so long before actually coming to Kanagawa. They hoped it wouldn't be necessary." Takeda rubbed his forehead in concentration. "I am sure that had I been also killed, there would be no tears shed. Have you dispatched somebody to round up any who escaped last night?"
"Of course, My Lord." Kazuki bowed. "My people are watching everything. We will be notified immediately if something occurs."
"You did well, Kazuki!" Takeda looked at his chief spy with appreciation. "Now go and take a proper bath. You stink like rotting fish!"
"Thank you, My Lord." Kazuki smiled crookedly and walked away.
Lord Takeda was deeply disturbed by this news. So his instinct to protect Anna was more accurate than even he himself suspected. From the very beginning it was all about her.
The thought of the ShÅgun's duplicity shamed him. Unable to resist the Americans, they decided to turn on an innocent woman. He got up decisively and returned once more to the building used as a temporary prison.
"How many have you captured?" He asked one of the guards.
"Seven, My Lord. The rest were killed or escaped in the commotion."
"Nabutada." The Lord noticed the approaching man. "How many attacked us last night?"
"I don't think more than twenty, My Lord. They didn't expect any resistance."
"But there might be still more, waiting for the next opportunity."
"That is possible." Nabutada admitted grudgingly. He didn't like the idea of his Lord being endangered again.
"Prepare horses. We are going out." Takeda decided unexpectedly.
"My Lord, it is too dangerous!"
"Would you have me sit here like a coward?!" The Lord was defiant. He needed to know for sure if there was any more danger.
"Yes, My Lord."
"Choose the best people, but not more than usually."
"Hai."
Takeda returned to his rooms to change. The bedroom was empty, except for two maids who were busy cleaning. Seeing him they both fell to their knees in a deep bow. "Has Lady Ana returned to her quarters?" He enquired.
"Yes, My Lord." The older of the girls replied quietly.
"You can finish later." He dismissed them with a wave of his hand and they scurried outside, still on their knees.
For once he was glad that Lottie wasn't around. He didn't want to alarm her, but at that moment he wouldn't be able to hide from her how disturbed he was.
Surrounded by his best and most faithful samurai, he left the residence and without displaying any urgency, he rode to visit Lord Matsuda.
His friend greeted him with a worried face. "Takeda-Sama, I am happy that the last night's attempt was again unsuccessful. Tell me what happened?"
Takeda related the events with a carefully measured tone and was as succinct as possible.
"I can see that you are greatly disturbed. Is there anything else?"
"Hai... My people were able to intercept messages, suggesting that the attackers were hired by SaitÅ."
"This old snake!" Spat Matsuda. "He will never stop hating you!"
"It appears that I would be only a welcome bonus. Both attacks were directed at Ana-San."
"What?!"
"It seems they didn't want the negotiations to proceed... at least for some time. Without an interpreter the Americans would be forced to wait even longer."
"Did you tell her?"
"No! And I am not planning to. There is no need to frighten her."
"But she should be aware of the danger!"
"No!" Takeda repeated with conviction. "I will deal with that! And after I leave, they will have no more excuses to attack her... But I would ask of you that you look after her." His tone changed. Became softer.
"Of course." Matsuda was moved by this display of tenderness. "You have grown fond of her, my friend."
"Yes, very much. But now I have to leave her here, without any protection!" There was anguish in Takeda's voice. "When I would rather take her with me... But," He gathered himself together. "We must all embrace our destiny. Will you notify me as soon as the ShÅgun's people arrive?"
"Of course."
"Good. Now I must make arrangements for my departure. I will leave the punishment of the captured assailants to you. Please, send your men to collect them."
Matsuda nodded. "Until next time, my friend."
"Until next time."
They bowed in mutual respect.
Lord Takeda returned to his residence without any hindrance. This only confirmed, what Kazuki had said earlier, that Anna was the intended target.
On his return Takeda ordered the household to prepare for departure and again called for Kazuki.
"My Lord." The man bowed low to his Lord. After a bath he looked and... smelled much better.
"Have you received any news about the remaining attackers?"
"They must have scattered in panic, My Lord. However, my people were lucky in capturing one, who was injured and left behind."
"Did he say anything?"
"Yes, My Lord. In fact, he said quite a lot... He only knew the man who hired him, but confirmed that they were all Ronin and were paid handsomely to kill the woman. I have people already looking for the one who hired them, in hope he will lead us to SaitÅ."
"You did well!" Takeda repeated, greatly impressed with his man. "You deserve a reward for your services, but... before that I have another job for you. One that is perhaps not worthy of your skill, but... one I put a great score by."
Kazuki looked up with interest, hearing that.
"It will be tedious and ungratifying." Takeda continued. "But I trust you with it as I only would myself. Tomorrow or the day after I am leaving to return to my domain. I want you to stay behind with some people and... protect Ana-San."
Kazuki was taken aback by that. He expected something more... dangerous. "My Lord?"
"I wish no harm come her way. I expect they wouldn't dare to attack her after I'm gone, but there is also a man I don't trust. One of her companions. The soldier. She must know nothing about it, but I want you to protect her at all cost!... Do you accept?"
"Hai, My Lord." Kazuki bowed.
"Don't take it lightly!" Warned the Lord. "And keep in mind what happened to the last man I left to protect her."
"Hai. And what am I to do if she leaves?"
"Wherever she goes, you will follow. Only when you are absolutely sure she left Japan on her ship, will you be freed from this post."
"As you wish, My Lord." Kazuki bowed and left to make his own preparations.