Sachiko scoured for the sign of her servant. While avoiding the glances. It wasn"t too much, seeing that she was wearing Kaede"s clothing. Rather than anyone else"s. And her current attire was nothing which will have attracted the eyes of others.

It was the same for all servants. They were simply too numerous and dressed in the same cloth. Well, neither did they know how she looked like. Seeing that most of her days here, she mostly spent it with Kaede and thinking. And having her explore here, while she looked through all the best

Towards the small end of a corner, remembering that it had to be the room that she was in when she first met Suzumi. In the far corner in the right, where the side entrance was. She used it to avoid the eyes of others.

Besides, she brought the bare minimum of servants. Even if someone was to look at all this closely, they will doubt the person who stepped inside was the Daimyo"s daughter.

Many will a.s.sume that Sachiko will come here as a wife, not a maiden. It was rare that she will have done so. At least without people questioning her chast.i.ty.

But it didn"t matter to her, she wanted to have a choice. She chose hers. She will deal with the consequences as it is. It didn"t matter if they were to condemn her, for her choice had been to leave the entire while. This place which never seemed right to her, no matter what.

For some, all they had was here. But for her, she never did have that connection. Isolated from the rest of the world, as it was. Because it was the way to do things.

While she learned through Kaede the various means that people survived. About how commoners did it, a harder life. Although they were much more free in choice, but limited by options. Everything was limited by options, and nothing will sound right or wrong. It just depends on the person.

Most of the girls were walking with something. While she had nothing to really show. As awkward as that will be.

Knowing that she will have to find a reason since she was dressed like a normal servant. And Sachiko should not be wandering on the outside, at all. It just wasn"t proper. Not at all.

"Do you know where to deliver this tea set to?" She looked at the tea set. Remembering that it was the same one that was used when she first came in. Kaede brought it in, likely handed by another servant.

"Yes." She smiled. "I can help you deliver it."

"Really?" She looked at her. Sachiko knew that she was new. Not even the laziest servants did this, since people were rarely kind. Only a naive young girl will take it at face value.

But it wasn"t her job to teach her that. She took the tea set and went into the western hall. Pretending to be lost, as few ventured here. Suzumi took care of most of it herself.

It seemed that no other servant ventured here, other than serving her drinks and food. Perhaps she did it for privacy, and could not find anyone suitable. Her choices were in the girls here, and she could understand if Kaede can"t be found.

Even she wondered what fortune she had to find Kaede. It was so rare to do so. Now she needed to focus on finding Kaede while she still could. At least without the tea getting cold.

Behind the house she was supposed to go into.

"Is that mine?" She turned around, looking at Kaede. Who must have been here since the morning, after that conversation. She didn"t show any signs of being found out, as her hair was still loose below.

"Yes. Masaki brought me to an inn, where I was given this." She showed Kaede the paper. Written only in line, and a single sentence. One which baffled even her.

"Wait, they did give us an answer. But how did they do it?" She didn"t read it too carefully, but knew too well what it must have been. The only things which will have made sense. At least at this point.

"Someone pa.s.sed it to me. I think the inn may have someone working for him." As it was rare for it to be chance. Far too particular, and too subtle. Besides, it was not really that worth it to bribe a lot of people. As whoever saw it will find it interesting.

And she was certain it was deliberate. But she could not confirm it. Without raising Masaki"s suspicion then.

He was a far more observant boy than any people will have thought of him. And she guessed that any strange behaviour was not going to escape his eyes. Because he was observant.

"How did they know you were there?"

"I don"t know. But I will find out." Nonetheless, relieved that they had answers to Suzumi"s letters. A

As much as she was not so sure about that woman"s intentions. Or the fact that this was something that was not normal.

"Keep a lookout." She stepped inside. Without ever hesitating, because she didn"t have the chance to. She had few options, and she knew that she didn"t have all the time in the world. At least to be able to handle this.

Holding the tea set, slightly unsteady and a little of the tea dropped to the ground. Narrowly avoiding her kimono. If not, she will have scalded herself.

She opened the door with her right hand, looking at Suzumi inside. There wasn"t much that could mistake this woman. Her hair into a bun, with a single comb. Simple, and never outstanding.

Suzumi remained silent.

Even she will not have the connections to connect with the Sasaki clan or the Satou clan. "Did the Sasaki reply?"

She nodded. Not wishing to show it to her, at least without trying to truly understand her. That should be enough for Suzumi.

"I did think that it was like them to have contacted you the way they did." Knowing that she was outside, and using the chance to drop it by. Although she never understood how it occurred. Not even till now could she find a solid reasoning as to how it occurred.

She didn"t say how. But given the fact that she left the house will have been clear, it was in the middle of the afternoon by this point. Certain that she will have left, if she didn"t come any longer.

She set down the tea before her. Suzumi didn"t say anything, expecting her to pour tea. Humoring her, she did.

"Drop the act." She looked towards her.

"What are your intentions?" Sachiko finished pouring tea for two. A set always came with it. It seemed that she was ready to receive her as a guest.

"Getting to the main point, at last." Kaede took up her drink and sipped it. "Take a seat."

Sachiko sat down, also taking a chance to drink her tea. While contemplating her next move with Suzumi, who had known she will come.

Asking her to swear loyalty was a foolish move, she identified that. Rather, she needed something else. To convince her to be loyal to her.

"If I wanted to sell you out, I will have simply left a warning to them. They don"t even need to try."

"So?"

"You need to prove to me that you"re a good master. Although your brother has potential, he is far too young and much too naive. You on the other hand, show promise."

Sachiko looked at her, knowing that she must impress her. At least enough to earn her loyalty. A reasonable request.

"Your father released me, and I was planning to go. But I hung around, since Masaki is such a different boy. And you, seem to be even more odd."

Not fitting in the reality of most Samurai women. A reality painted by mostly children, religion and tradition. Obedience was all, and she was expected to stay home. Educated, but rarely expected to use it.

Running a household, having children. Those were the reality she knew most went to. Regardless of the situation. Kept at home, with little to no chance to be able to do anything but raise children.

"From all your choices. Tradition will say that you should remain, and just marry. But you chose to avoid all that. In a deliberate stroke, not luck."

"Am I really that outstanding?"

"When these girls are only taught to obey their fathers and husbands, I am surprised to find someone like you." The same could never be said for commoners. As she heard it. Kaede had a mother who worked as often as her father. And her father raised her too. Although she never mentions how they are now.

"And all they need to contribute, is sons."

"But I do find you peculiar, it doesn"t exist when you"re raised in such an environment you don"t turn out like that. And you have a certain maturity that is sorely lacking."

While it will be reasonable to expect naivety, or optimism about the situation. Although she handled herself with dignity, as expected of most girls like her.

"Or maybe I was just happy to defy every expectation set for me. Regardless of who I was raised by."

Was Suzumi judging her every answer and deciding how it go. She knew it was important, as much as it was difficult to tell. This had only been their third face to face meeting.

And she hid secrets, perhaps doing so for herself. And the moment when Sachiko shows that she won"t betray her, will she reveal them. A choice necessary for survival.

"But you have enough wit to last this struggle, and I only choose people who can win." And only will she do it. "Besides, getting here wasn"t easy. And I didn"t explain a lot of things."

Suzumi took a teapot, pouring a cup of tea. "I only do it when I serve a master. And I only did it twice." And one of them was her father.

"And I serve you now." This was a formality as Sachiko will never relegate Suzumi to serving tea. It was a waste of all her talent and skill.

The door opened. As Kaede fell to the ground. Her kimono getting caught up in a few autumn leaves, but her face on the floor.

"That was painful." She stood up, rubbing the dirt. Knowing that she didn"t ask for it. "But what will I wear now, since you"re wearing my spare uniform?"

"Tailor you a new one?"

"That"s a nice idea." She smiled at it. Suzumi did not find it strange that she will suggest this.

"But what were you previously?" Kaede looked at Suzumi. With what she accomplished, it wasn"t typical for a servant. And they knew her mother. The kind of person she had been.

She will be unable to tolerate someone like Kaede. She barely was, because Sachiko was adamant. Because Kaede was her friend.

"I was a kunoichi." But she didn"t elaborate any further than that. It was more than enough. They did espionage, subterfuge and all sorts because they could.

"Then, what are those things you"re hiding?" She pointed out the truth, something which Sachiko had almost forgot to ask.

"Well, that is something that you need to learn, from me." She does not say anything else. But it is more than enough to satisfy her. She can learn, slowly. Because she doesn"t have a choice.

And she doesn"t want to take another way. But she knew, that she had one more person who will help her now. And she wasn"t doing it because of her father, because she served her because she could. Not because she was his daughter.

Which was far more a.s.suring of her loyalty than anything else. Afterwards, she decided to leave this place. She has that resolved at least.