The Little Dragon Pt. 3

(No Smut)

“This should be the Mitsuyama residence,” Kenshin said as a house came up on the hillside.

Mayu tried to pay attention, but everything from the night before was still fresh in her mind. She didn’t want to think of it that way. It worried her now that the sun was out and they stood in the light. The whole walk up, she worried that Kenshin was treating her different, maybe he understood what he nearly walked in on.

Her confession.

“They own a considerable amount of land for a vassal family,” Kenshin said, “Their reputation is formidable, especially in town.”

She shook her head clear, tried to pay attention to what he was seeing. He was walking ahead of her, just two paces. His eyes were scanning long fields was that how he put all of that together? It amazed her the way his mind worked.

They got closer to the estate, and an older woman in formal dress greeted them at the door.

“The servants were right,” She said with a bow that shook her graying hair, “We are honored to have you here, magistrate.”

Kenshin came to just before the steps of the patio, and bowed deep. Mayu followed in his footsteps.

“I am Mitsuyama Akiko,” The woman said, “My son is away. Do you have time for tea while we wait for him?”

Mayu looked at the woman. She had a kind smile, and something told her she was good in court. The sort of woman whose battlefield held the pen as sacred.

Kenshin smiled at her, “I would love some.”

They walked along the outside of the house, along the wooden path around the house. Kenshin was right, it was large. She thought they would enter where Akiko stood, but instead they had to cross past long halls before finally the sound of a koi pond filtered closer. They came upon a small garden, well kept. The door was already open, and a low table was ready.

Unlike the governor, Akiko had no weapons to set aside. Mayu had hers, but Kenshin was unarmed. She loosened the belt that held them in place, and set them at the entrance, then kneeled a step behind Kenshin.

A small pit was heating the tea in a corner before they entered, and that made Mayu’s back crinkle.

Kenshin looked at her, and gave a slight nod of his head. He had noticed, he wasn’t completely oblivious to things like this. If they weren’t here to see the tea through from start to finish, who knew what was in it.

She tried to relax. They weren’t even talking to the Mitsuyama son, just his mother.

“Your land is so bountiful,” Kenshin said, “I could use the rest after having walked just part of the length.”

Akiko smiled and nodded, “It is unfortunate that you came all this way for such a grave reason, magistrate.”

“I agree,” He replied, “This is land I would want to visit again. I’ve heard that the Mitsuyama are a family worth knowing.”

The mother blushed, “I must disagree. My husband was a great warrior, who had the pleasure to serve alongside blessed families like yours.”

She went to get the teapot, placing it on the table alongside four cups. She poured them in silence, standing above the table, not looking at either of them. It was an odd amount of restraint.

What stake did this woman have in the murder? Nothing, except that a magistrate is snooping around.

“Your son…” Kenshin said the words and let them linger.

“Rokurou,” Akiko said as she moved two cups to their side of the table, “He hasn’t been himself lately. I imagine it is because of the incident in town?”

Kenshin nodded as he grabbed his tea. He let it rest in his hands, didn’t drink. Mayu grabbed hers, felt the warmth in her hands. She brought it up to her lips, sniffed as she drank.

It was powerful, but as far as she could tell, clean.

“Careful,” She said, “It is still hot.”

Mayu brought her cup back down, didn’t flinch from the boiling jet of liquid going down her throat. This was something she had to bear.

“It is believed your son knew the victim,” Kenshin said, “That’s all.”

That was an understatement. If Mayu was reading Kenshin right, it was possible Rokurou was responsible for this whole situation. She couldn’t see how it was possible, or how it got past the governor, but that wasn’t her place.

Akiko let out a sigh of exhaustion, “Unfortunately, I believe that is true. Rokurou is filled with the compassion of a warrior. I never met the woman personally, but I suspected he had gained purpose in the town.”

A twig snapped, and Mayu sat up straight. She looked over her shoulder and saw a man in all brown, a farmer’s hat tilted over his eyes. He was familiar, from governor Mirumoto’s offices.

Mayu stood, and bowed. Without a word, Kenshin and Akiko bowed their heads to let her leave.

She backed out of the room, then stepped into the sunlight.

“You were around earlier,” Mayu said as she leaned down and picked up her sword.

The man stood still. He was shorter than her, but she was used to that. His clothing had a school mon on the front, but she couldn’t place it. There was no marking for a clan.

“Who are you?” She asked, “Why have you followed us here?”

The two inside had gone back to talking, she felt safe knowing that the lady Mitsuyama wouldn’t judge Kenshin for her conversation unless it escalated.

“I’m no one important,” The man said, “Just a hired sword who recognized a fellow warrior.”

She felt her skin bristle. His words sounded veiled, like a challenge ready to be formed into proper words. This wasn’t her battlefield, she wasn’t a talker. She would rather put an axe in someone, and find out if they the foe from their dying breath.

“You’re a ronin,” Mayu said as she walked closer, “Who would hire you?”

The man nodded, “Some of us have to rely on our reputation with a blade, our name no longer carries weight.”

Mayu squinted at him, “I’ve seen bushi who couldn’t amount to shit while clinging to the names of gods. It is no excuse.”

He looked up at her, his hand moving. She shifted, stopping in time to realize he was adjusting his hat. The hat tilted back and revealed a young face, rugged hair on his chin, eyes that spoke of a lust for danger.

“Then you know exactly how I feel,” He said, “I was sure of it. You’re as strong as I thought, Ichiro Mayu.”

She had to lean away from him, the look in his eyes made her feel strange. It was a look she had wished for, but not from these same eyes. She fought away the blush coming to her cheeks.

“You shouldn’t bother us,” Mayu said, “A ronin doesn’t belong beside a magistrate, especially not Kitsuki Kenshin.”

His face went tense, then an eyebrow rose, “Is that so? Are you afraid I would besmirch your honor?”

He looked her over, from head to toe. She flared her nostrils, not afraid to use her height. While she would have shoved aside any fool, this man was different. She could tell from his movements, from his bravery in standing in front of an Ichiro, he had skill.

“No,” He said, “That’s not it at all, is it? Something else. A shame, I’ve heard of your beautiful strength, the Badger’s bite is a sight worth seeing.”

Mayu shook her head no, “If you don’t leave, I might have no choice but to demonstrate.”

She wasn’t feeling as confident as her words. Not that she was afraid, it was something in her stomach. On top of that, she couldn’t understand why he was here, in the garden of the Mitsuyama, at a time like this.

“Saku,” Said a man approaching them both.

Mayu turned and saw a tall and wide man that had to be the Mitsuyama son, Rokurou.

The ronin turned and bowed, “It seems you’ve arrived just in time, like always.”

The man looked disheveled. His clothing was loose at the shoulder, half-tied, and his face was pink. Was he out drinking?

“I got a little distracted on the way home,” He said, “I guess, I thought of her.”

Kenshin and Akiko stepped to the doorway. Kenshin bowed, and stepped out.

“Mitsuyama Rokurou,” He said, “It is an honor, I’m magistrate Kitsuki Kenshin.”

Rokurou managed a slight bow, then took heavy steps toward the tea, “I’ve heard. You’ve been asking around town about Kairi.”

“Yes,” Kenshin said, “Just questions about exactly what transpired.”

Mayu looked back at the ronin, Saku, and saw that he was several steps away now. He was looking at her, a smile on his face, his eyes bright. Then he tilted his hat back down. She turned her back on him, and returned to the tea with everyone else.

“I was saying to the magistrate,” Akiko said as everyone returned to their knees, “That some of the commoners in town can get into dangerous agreements without even realizing it.”

Rokurou took his tea cup, but didn’t say anything. Mayu couldn’t tell if he had even heard.

“Rokurou,” Kenshin said, “Would you agree?”

The man didn’t look them in the eyes, it made Mayu nervous. Instead Rokurou nodded, and took a sip. He let out a soft gasp, like a sob that came too late.

“My son is a champion of the people, a trait he gained from his father,” Akiko said, “Though it makes him vulnerable to their pain.”

“It would be tragic to anyone who was close to her,” Kenshin said.

Akiko sipped her tea, “How did you know the girl anyway, Rokurou?”

He shook his head, and took a deep breath.

“Considering your station,” Akiko said, “Did you defend her life?”

Kenshin put his cup down, “Mitsuyama Rokurou.”

He looked up, and his eyes were wet. Another man crying over this dead girl.

“How close were you to Kairi?” Kenshin asked directly.

Akiko sat up straight, “Now, magistrate, anyone in town can tell you that Mitsuyama Rokurou is courting Mirumoto Noriko herself. He has no time for peasant girls whose heart can be bought with a few coins.”

“How dare you!” Rokurou snapped, “Kairi was a beautiful woman, who could see into a man’s soul.”

Akiko scooted back from her son, eyes wide. Mayu couldn’t look at him, seeing his emotional outburst was, shameful.

“She was someone I could speak to, not a loose woman. You would never understand that mother!”

Kenshin zeroed in on Rokurou, “Did you know Neji?”

“Neji?” Rokurou said, “That, idiot. He thought, he thought he could own someone’s heart. That is no way for a man to behave.”

“Do you think he killed Kairi?” Kenshin asked.

“It had to be,” Rokurou said, almost standing in his wide motions, “Noriko mentioned that Neji was a womanizer, but he didn’t heed my warning.”

“You warned him?” Kenshin’s eyes went to the table.

“Yes,” Rokurou said, “Word was going around, I wanted to put him in his place. This, all of it is my fault.”

Mayu could see it now. Noriko mentions Neji’s ways, and Rokurou puts it all together, and threatens the man. Then Neji takes the matter into his own hands and slays the woman. Except, that was the official story, Kenshin didn’t believe that.

“I think my son is tired,” Akiko said, “I apologize magistrate, but this has taken more from him than I at first believed.”

Kenshin nodded, and stood. Together, they left the room, and waited on the porch.

Akiko returned alone, looking more weathered for the trip.

Kenshin turned on her, “Your son was courting the governor?”

She looked surprised by the question, or maybe it was Kenshin’s sudden animation, “Well yes. Our family has always been powerful in this area, but we are truly-”

“Rokurou didn’t mention a man named Neji to you?” Kenshin interrupted

The woman took a breath as if she was prepared to say something, or to balk at his conduct, but she took a breath and composed herself.

“I assure you,” She said, “I know nothing of the shady lowlifes among the peasants.”

Kenshin closed his eyes. Mayu wanted to get closer to him, show him that she was there. That face, she hadn’t seen a look of concentration like that in a long time. This was a difficult choice for him. Personally, she was lost, all she could do was support him, and she wanted nothing more.

She felt her face getting hot, then she noticed that lady Akiko was looking at her. Mayu looked away.

“Jealousy,” Kenshin said, low enough that Mayu barely made him out.

“Excuse me?” Akiko said.

Kenshin turned and walked away.

Mayu made a desperate bow, “Thank you for your time, lady Mitsuyama. You have been a great help.”

She made quick steps to catch up with him. He wasn’t thinking, his mind was far away. His fingers moved as he walked, as if playing with some toy that she couldn’t physically see.

“We have to visit the governor again,” Kenshin said over labored breath.

Mayu tried to put it together, “We do?”

“She is the hole,” Kenshin said, “She is the only reason Neji is a suspect. He was suspected of being intimate with the victim because of Noriko, he was captured because of Noriko, he was executed because of Noriko.”

Mayu thought about it as they walked, “What did she gain?”

Kenshin stopped and looked at her, a smile on his face, “Her honorable marriage. With Kairi dead, she could marry Rokurou without a whisper in the crowd. A perfect motivation.”

An honorable marriage. She would have a woman killed to marry the man she loves? Mayu looked into Kenshin’s eyes and questioned her own will. It was the badger way to fight with the strength of your heart, she could understand.

Mayu nodded, and Kenshin started to walk again. “We just need to confront her,” He said