Jiro glanced behind him with a look of concern. Although they were pushing their horses as hard as they dared, the cloud of dust that marked the pursuing Somo samurai grew closer. Something must be done, he thought and soon, or else all would go to waste.
Reaching a decision, Jiro smiled. It was as Sun Tzu said, they were on desperate ground, and when on desperate ground one's only recourse was to attack.
"Junzo-san!" he called. "See the Prince to the border, I will buy us some time!"
Wheeling his horse about and hefting his naginata, Jiro urged his horse into a gallop, heading straight towards the oncoming soldiers.
"Jiro-san! No!" Kitsune cried, before she too turned her horse and went after him.
"Kuso!" Junzo swore as he brought his horse to a halt. "Saburo, look after Yabu and the Prince, I will return soon enough."
Saburo nodded, and quickly urged his mount down the road, heading for the border.
As Jiro approached the Somo horsemen, he broke into a savage grin. The soldiers weren't heavily armored samurai, but a mixture of ashigaru. Such men weren't used to fighting from horseback, and usually dismounted to fight. He also has the advantage of terrain on his side. On his left the ground fell away sharply from the road to the river. Anyone going that way was sure to send both his horse and himself tumbling. To his right the road dropped slightly into rice fields. After harvest time, they had been drained, but the thick mud would still slow down anyone attempting to ride through it.
Scanning the advancing troop, Jiro quickly located his target. A single samurai rode out in front, urging his men on. Bringing his blade up and across, Jiro directed his horse straight towards the man, meaning to cut the his horse right out from underneath of him.
With a loud shout Jiro slashed out and down with his naginata, the long blade cutting deep into horseflesh. With a shriek, the animal collapsed into the road, sending its rider sprawling.
Almost immediately, the scene become one of confusion. The ashigaru, mediocre riders under even the best of circumstances, now had to deal with startled and rearing horses, that balked at being forced to ride across the corpse lying in the road. Several turned their mounts into the rice paddy, while still more headed straight for Jiro.
Two men closed with Jiro immediately, their spear thrusts deflected by the shaft of Jiro's own weapon. Twisting in the saddle, he thrust one through the arm. Glancing behind him, he was startled, and a little pleased, to see that Junzo and Kitsune had joined the fray.
The arrival of the other two samurai turned the milling mob into an almost hellish melee of shouting men, screaming horses, dust and blood. Kitsune lashed out with a blindingly fast sword stroke, sending an ashigaru tumbling from his horse. Junzo engaged two more of the enemy, as they tried to urge their horse up out of the sodden padyy-field onto the road, trading sword blows with spear thrusts. Within moments, several saddles had been emptied, and riderless horses began to clog the already compacted confines of the road.
It was with a flash of pain that Jiro felt the sudden thrust of a spear into his shoulder. Turning about, he slashed his attacker out of the saddle. Feeling encouraged by his success, he quickly launched a series of quick thrusts, striking at two more of his opponents.
Kitsune found herself hemmed in by flickering spear blades on all sides. It seemed for every one she cut down, two more took his place. Out of the corner of her eye that she saw one of the ashigaru bury his spear deep into Jiro's torso, sending him sliding from the saddle.
"No!" She cried, her guard dropping for just an instant, which was just enough for another ashigaru to catch her across the ribs with a spear slash of hisown.
Having killed his two opponents, Junzo turned to the confused fray that dominated the middle of the road. Of Jiro he could see no sign, but Kitsune looked to be dazed, wavering in her saddle. With a shout, he urged his horse forward, slashing his way through the press to reach the female samurai.
For a moment, it looked as if it all had been in vain. But Jiro, soaked in blood, managed to stagger to his feet, while Junzo did his best to protect Kitsune, who was able to recover from the shock of her sudden wound.
Deflecting another spear thrust, Jiro lashed out with his naginata, cutting down the man who had initially struck him. To his left, Junzo and Kitsune pressed the attack, pushing back the milling ashigaru even further.
Unnoticed to the three, the samurai who Jiro had sent tumbling into the road, rose to his feet, shaking his head and cursing. Glancing wide-eyed at the carnage that surrounded him, he quickly drew his word, screaming at several of the ashigaru to break off fighting and continue down the road. He then turned and headed into the fray, going straight for the undefended back of the man who had caused all the trouble in the first place.
Jiro never knew what hit him. One moment he was pulling his blade out of the unarmored belly of a foe, the next he felt an agonizing flare of pain across his back. Spinning about, he saw the samurai whose horse he had killed, standing behind him, bloody katana held high. With a scream of rage, Jiro buried his own blade deep in the man's chest before falling to his knees.
Jiro's collapse seemed to signal and end to the fighting. With the exception of the four ashigaru who had continued to race up the road, all the other soldiers were either dead of wounded. The road was littered with bodies and wandering horses. Dismounting from his horse, Junzo quickly made sure that none of the wounded ashigaru would revive, while Kitsune went over to Jiro, trying to do her best to slow the bleeding.
Junzo moved to Kitsune's side and touched her shoulder. As she looked up, another cloud of dust became apparent - a single rider hurtling down the road. Laying Jiro gently down, she stood and the two samurai faced the oncoming rider, swords ready. The new arrival was a young samurai, his fine clothes limned with dust. He took in the scene of carnage that littered to road apparently without surprise, then sliding from his horse, bowed briefly and stated " I'm not your enemy - indeed, I have been looking for you for many weeks now. I have come to help the samurai of the Arai house. " Junzo and Kitsune exchanged glances of bafflement. The young samurai ignored their drawn and bloody blades, taking a small bundle from his saddlebow and then kneeling beside Jiro.
Junzo found his voice first. "Who are you? What are you doing?" "Benesato." The other answered. "And I already told you, I have come south to help the young lord Arai." As he spoke, he laid a gently restraining hand on Jiro's chest and slid his blood-soaked tunic aside. With sure hands, he cleaned the cuts on Jiro's shoulder and ribs, then, as Jiro winced in pain, helped him turn to expose the stab wound in his back. It still bled freely, and the whole of Jiro's hakama was soaked in blood and dust. Glancing at the two samurai who stood watching he gave his head the smallest of shakes. The wound was clearly mortal. Nevertheless, he stuffed the wound with clean cloth and bound it swiftly. Before he had finished, the bandage had already reddened.
Wiping his hands on his last cloth, Benesato straightened and addressed Jiro. "All I can do here is slow the bleeding. Can you ride? There are more soldiers on the road."
Jiro glanced up. Around the bend in the river valley, more horsemen appeared, the weak sun glinting on far-off weapons. They would be here in a few minutes.
"Go," Jiro stated to Benesato, pointing to where Junzo and Kitsune were mounting their horses. "I know that have not long to live, so I will do what I can to delay any pursuit."
Benesato's face twisted into a scowl and in quite a different voice he grated out "Flee? And leave this one to face those riders?" Then his face relaxed and in a normal tone he continued. "Yes. We can do no further good here. Come. Jiro - we will commend you to your lord." As he spoke, he mounted his horse and followed in the wake of the others, leaving Jiro leaning on his horse in confusion. What had that been about?
It wasn't long until another company of mounted infantry arrived. They numbered only six, and looked to be low-class ashigaru, carrying simple spears and wearing no armor.
The sight that presented itself to the six men was of a massacre. A lone samurai, his kimono slashed and bloody, sat hunched on his horse in the middle of the road, a stained naginata held loosely in one hand. Around him lay the corpses of well over a dozen ashigaru. Reining their horses to a halt, the men looked to their commander.
Raising his head, the samurai fixed the half-dozen soldiers with a steely gaze. "I know" he rasped, "that I will not live to see the sun rise tomorrow, but I also know that you will not pass me."
The squad commander's eyes went wide at this pronouncement. "K-kill him!" he shouted, pointing at the samurai with his spear.
Urging his horse into a gallop, Jiro charged to the right of the six men. Whipping his naginata around, he cut the commander from the saddle, and then pushed past the remaining ashigaru.
Confusion reined among the remaining soldiers as they tried to bring their horses around. But they they had little experience with trying to control a horse in the midst of even so small a battle as this one. With a shout of triumph, the samurai sent another ashigaru toppling from his saddle. Immediately, the surviving foot soldiers slid from their horses, feeling more secure fighting on the road and not from the back of a panicked horse.
A third ashigaru fell to Jiro's naginata, before anyone was able to respond to his attacks. Grouping themselves into a short line, the three spearmen stuck out with their weapons, trying to force the samurai back.
From atop his horse, Jiro gave a savage grin. Bring his his naginata up and over his head, he lashed out in a fierce series of strikes, giving a shout of triumph as each struck home. His victory was short-lived however, as a spear thrust caught him in the shoulder and sent him tumbling from the saddle.
Standing in the muddy expanse of the rice field, Jiro coughed and spat a mouthful of blood. He now knew, with total certainty, that he was soon to die. But, he still had his duty to Lord Arai to carry out. He would see that the three ashigaru before him would never make it any further up the road. Bracing his feet, he once again lashed out in a series of blinding thrust, once again striking each of his opponents. But when he had needed it the most, his strength had left him, and none of the blows was a fatal one. His naginata slipping from now nerveless fingers, Jiro slowly slid to the ground, to fall in a heap amid the mud and rice stubble.
Stumbling back to the road, the three surviving ashigaru stared with amazement at the still corpse of the samurai. Just a moment before it seemed that he would kill them all, now... he lay unmoving on the ground. The three men looked to each other as they backed away, wondering if this was some sort of trick, or if their opponent's dreadful wounds had finally claimed his life. None wanted to be the first to go and find out.
When Junzo, with Kitsune and Benesato behind him, finally caught up again with Saburo and Yabu,he found the bodies of four ashigaru littering the road. Saburo was carefully tying an unconscious Yabu to his horse, while Prince Heihachiro looked impassively on.
Junzo gave a mental sigh of relief, obviously Saburo and Yabu had been able to deal with this minor problem, but...
"Saburo-san, how is Yabu?"
The samurai shook his head, "He killed the four you see here, but the exertion caused him to pass out." Saburo looked about, realizing that someone was missing, "Where is Jiro?"
"Back there," answered Kitsune gesturing down the road. "He stayed to delay more oncoming horsemen."
Junzo shook his head, "We need to get off this road. I say we leave the horses and try crossing the border through the woods."
Benesato nodded, "An excellent plan. They will not have had time to get all their patrols in place, and the woods will probably be thinly defended."
Within a few moments, the horses were left tied up in a clearing in the fringe of the woods. Junzo and Kitsune led the way, followed by Saburo carrying Yabu's body, Benesato and Prince Heihachiro. They made their way as quietly as possible, the faint sounds of galloping horses reaching them from the valley floor.
All seemed well until they heard a scuffling and movement in the trees ahead. The party stopped, and scanned the woods carefully. "Who goes there?" Junzo called, but received no answer.
Shaking his head, Benesato strode past the other samurai, intending to walk right past whoever was blocking their way. Kitsune shook her head. Now she knew he was crazy!
Amazingly enough, no one challenged the lone samurai as he made his way through a small clearing He disappeared over the crest of the hill and headed down. Giving a shrug of surprise to Junzo, Kitsune rose and went after him. Moments later, the others followed. It appeared they might cross the border without problems after all.
However, as the Prince entered the clearing, there was a sudden shout from further up the slope and several arrows whipped through the branches. "To the road!" shouted Junzo, and immediately began to head down the mountain, Benesato close on his heels.
"Saburo-san!" Kitsune yelled, "See to Yabu, I'll get the monk!" Turning to Prince Heihachiro she grabbed his sleeve, unmindful of his royal dignity, "Come your highness," she hissed in a low voice, "We must hurry if we are to survive this." Prince Heihachiro blinked at this seeming assault upon his person, but said nothing.
There were a few harrowing minutes as the party of samurai fled down the mountain, ill aimed arrows falling all about them. It was with some relief that they came out onto the road, finding themselves on the far side of the border and out of Somo territory. Behind the Arai samurai came a half-dozen Somo ashigaru, armed with bows and spears. Within moments the battle was joined.
Saburo dropped Yabu to the road and positioned himself before Prince Heihachiro sword drawn and ready. Junzo quickly closed with the enemy, trading sword blows for spear thrusts. Kitsune amazed the onlooking Ogayama border guards by snapping her katana forward in blow that no one was really able to say they saw. Her opponent certainly never did, as he died with most of his face cut away.
There was a sudden scream of pain and rage from Benesato as one of the ashigaru succeeded in thrusting his spear into the strange samurai's leg. Staggering back, Benesato's face became twisted with a dark scowl.
A moment later, Benesato's opponent fell back in a heap, having been struck and unknown number of times in a flurry of blows that looked even to put Yabu's whirlwind spear kata to shame.
As the ashigaru fell, Benesato spun to the right, his voice dropping into a dark and menacing tone, "Flee now, or I shall pave the steps to hell with your blood."
"ENOUGH!" The bellowed cry cut through the sounds of fighting, causing both parties to break apart. The Arai samurai gathered together in the middle of the road, forming a protective ring around Prince Heihachiro, while the remaining Somo ashigaru scrambled back a few steps.
"What is going on here?" demanded the border guard commander, striding purposefully towards the small knot of samurai. "Where are your papers?" Behind him stood a squad of armoured ashigaru.
"Ahh..." Junzo stammered, trying to think of a good excuse.
"Well?" It was evident that the commander's patience was wearing thin.
"Daikan," Kitsune bowed, "We have little idea ourselves. We were travelling peacefully down the road when a band of ashigaru set upon us without warning. They have killed one of our number and grievously wounded another. We fought them as best as we could and fled for the border." Looking up she gave the man a noncommittal shrug, "I'm afraid that we may have lost some of our papers when we had to abandon our horses."
"I see..." grunted the border guard commander.
Kitsune gave the man a small smile, "We apologise for this incident and I promise you that if you let us pass, we will not trouble you anymore."
"Hmm..." the man considered this statement. The group before him did not look like a great threat, but he had seen their swordplay - and their attackers, now edging back into the woods, belonged to the hated Somo. As he pondered his choices, the sound of shouting which drifted down from the border crossing suddenly changed in pitch and was augmented by the sound of weapons. "Go!" he snapped, "get out of my sight!" With a shout, he led led his squad at a sprint back up the road to the pass, hidden from sight by the bend in the road
"Domo arigato," Kitsune bowed and then turned back to the rest of the Arai samurai. "We must hurry, I fear that the main Somo force will soon be upon us."
There was barely enough time to get around the first bend in the road before the sound of fighting swelled, then ended. Hurrying into the woods that bordered the road, the party quickly dropped out of sight as a column of 40 or more samurai, in full armor, rode by in a cloud of dust.
"Those were samurai from Somo," Saburo reported gravely.
Benesato nodded, "I think we should stay here for a few little while then."
Composing themselves as best they could, the samurai tried to relax, trying to catch their breath after an hour or more of constant fighting and running. Soon, Benesato's advice was proved to be well heeded, as the troop of samurai came tearing back up the road, heading for the Somo border.
"Come on," Junzo stood and gestured to the others, "we need to keep moving."
Soon, the party had left the border behind them, and topping the rise to a small hill, beheld their desired destination; a small inn and garrison. It should have been a welcome sight, except...
"They.. they burned it!" Kitsune exclaimed.
"Kuso!" Junzo swore and spat. "This will cause war to be certain."
Benesato shrugged and began to make his way down the slope to the smoldering remains of the inn, "At least we have a chance to get his Highness some proper papers."