hasp, she lifted the lid and removed the cups with small black and white stones.
“Do you know how to play goh?” she asked when she had the board set.
“Yes.” Sanematsu chuckled. He did not tell her the game was one of the earliest forms of military tactics used to instruct young boys.
“Oh.”
Her enthusiasm evaporated, and she sat back on her heels. The pout on her lips reminded him of his daughters.
“And I thought it was something I could teach you.”
“We can still play,” he suggested, eager to return the excitement to her eyes.
“I know!” The animation brightened her face once more, and her eyes sparkled as she rose from the table. “We will play another game. One Sachi-sama said women play.”
“Then I probably do not know it,” he stated, determined not to reveal his knowledge if he did.
“We take the stones.” She picked ten of each of the white and black stones from the bowls. She handed the white to Sanematsu. As he took them, their hands touched and a strong and intense shock passed between them.
“Now.” She took a deep breath as if ridding herself of the feeling. It did not remove the flush rising from her throat to color her cheeks. “We each take turns balancing one upon another on a finger until they topple. Whoever manages to hold the most wins.”
“Sounds simple enough.” Sanematsu studied the white pieces in his palm. “You go first.” To balance anything smaller than his sword, he needed to control the trembling her touch caused.
Aderyn, holding her breath and sticking her tongue out between her lips as she did when concentrating on anything, placed one smooth black stone atop another on her extended finger. The tower collapsed with her sixth addition.
Now it was the samurai’s turn. He held three perfectly aligned and still, starting to apply a fourth. He hesitated. There was no doubt he could hold more stones than Aderyn dared think of, the balancing game an old trick of martial arts instructors; but did he wish to best her? It pleased him to think of losing to her. The white stones clattered across the table.
“I win!” she squealed and bobbed with excitement as his youngest daughters did when they were happy.
“I guess you did,” he conceded.
And so the afternoon passed, with the balancing game and conversation, pleasing Sanematsu as much as it appeared to delight Aderyn. The daimyo won an occasional game, but took care not to exceed his seabird’s stones by more than one.
** *
“Sanematsu-sama, Sachi-sama says I must get permission from you to leave Nishikata-jyo.” Aderyn walked with the daimyo through the garden behind the yashiki. Lush deep-green foliage crept to the edge of the stone walk meandering through the area. Fronds of ferns brushed her legs. At curves in the path, large stones were set on patches of pebbles. An occasional carved statue broke through the greenery.
The climate of fall had not changed enough to affect the plants and tenacious gardeners kept the garden fragrant and full.
“Why do you wish to venture farther than the walls of my yashiki?” Sanematsu clasped his hands behind his back as he walked.
“I have explored every corner except the shrine and stables.”
“There is nothing for a woman in those places.”
They strolled around a corner, encountering one of the gardeners, who stopped his work and made a respectful bow toward Sanematsu. The master of the yashiki acknowledged his obeisance with a wave of his hand.
“But there is!” Aderyn argued. The gardener returned to his work after they passed. “At least in the stable. You have exquisite horses.”
“The horse master works very hard to maintain my horses.”
“Sachi-sama says I must ask your permission to see them closer. It seems I cannot do anything without your consent. She will not grant me anything.”
“You pout as my daughters do.” Sanematsu gave her a knowing glance and brief smile. “It is for your protection
“Do you know how to play goh?” she asked when she had the board set.
“Yes.” Sanematsu chuckled. He did not tell her the game was one of the earliest forms of military tactics used to instruct young boys.
“Oh.”
Her enthusiasm evaporated, and she sat back on her heels. The pout on her lips reminded him of his daughters.
“And I thought it was something I could teach you.”
“We can still play,” he suggested, eager to return the excitement to her eyes.
“I know!” The animation brightened her face once more, and her eyes sparkled as she rose from the table. “We will play another game. One Sachi-sama said women play.”
“Then I probably do not know it,” he stated, determined not to reveal his knowledge if he did.
“We take the stones.” She picked ten of each of the white and black stones from the bowls. She handed the white to Sanematsu. As he took them, their hands touched and a strong and intense shock passed between them.
“Now.” She took a deep breath as if ridding herself of the feeling. It did not remove the flush rising from her throat to color her cheeks. “We each take turns balancing one upon another on a finger until they topple. Whoever manages to hold the most wins.”
“Sounds simple enough.” Sanematsu studied the white pieces in his palm. “You go first.” To balance anything smaller than his sword, he needed to control the trembling her touch caused.
Aderyn, holding her breath and sticking her tongue out between her lips as she did when concentrating on anything, placed one smooth black stone atop another on her extended finger. The tower collapsed with her sixth addition.
Now it was the samurai’s turn. He held three perfectly aligned and still, starting to apply a fourth. He hesitated. There was no doubt he could hold more stones than Aderyn dared think of, the balancing game an old trick of martial arts instructors; but did he wish to best her? It pleased him to think of losing to her. The white stones clattered across the table.
“I win!” she squealed and bobbed with excitement as his youngest daughters did when they were happy.
“I guess you did,” he conceded.
And so the afternoon passed, with the balancing game and conversation, pleasing Sanematsu as much as it appeared to delight Aderyn. The daimyo won an occasional game, but took care not to exceed his seabird’s stones by more than one.
** *
“Sanematsu-sama, Sachi-sama says I must get permission from you to leave Nishikata-jyo.” Aderyn walked with the daimyo through the garden behind the yashiki. Lush deep-green foliage crept to the edge of the stone walk meandering through the area. Fronds of ferns brushed her legs. At curves in the path, large stones were set on patches of pebbles. An occasional carved statue broke through the greenery.
The climate of fall had not changed enough to affect the plants and tenacious gardeners kept the garden fragrant and full.
“Why do you wish to venture farther than the walls of my yashiki?” Sanematsu clasped his hands behind his back as he walked.
“I have explored every corner except the shrine and stables.”
“There is nothing for a woman in those places.”
They strolled around a corner, encountering one of the gardeners, who stopped his work and made a respectful bow toward Sanematsu. The master of the yashiki acknowledged his obeisance with a wave of his hand.
“But there is!” Aderyn argued. The gardener returned to his work after they passed. “At least in the stable. You have exquisite horses.”
“The horse master works very hard to maintain my horses.”
“Sachi-sama says I must ask your permission to see them closer. It seems I cannot do anything without your consent. She will not grant me anything.”
“You pout as my daughters do.” Sanematsu gave her a knowing glance and brief smile. “It is for your protection
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