The Way of the Fox (31 page)

“Yes. Quite right too.” Sura fretted at the problem, then rapidly switched to a new thought. “Benten san
! We have to get you somewhere to heal that wound. The Raiden may have spies. Is there somewhere safe we can take you?”

“
Yes, Sura san.” The wounded man was labouring on his leg – blood stained the bandage. “Take me to the brothel. I am hired to provide security there. I live in a room at the back. They will vouch for us to any Raiden patrols. They will be happy to say that we have been there all day.”

“A brothel?” Sura instantly brightened. “
Oooh! I wonder if they have plum wine?”

Benten pushed hims
elf to keep up the pace. “They have everything, Sura san! Food, wine, sakē, delicacies… Many of the women are skilled entertainers.”

The fox
sniffed to see if she could detect the scent of food.

“
Wow. I wonder how you get to be a courtesan?”

Kuno gave a snort. “
I do not believe an offer will soon be forthcoming.”

Sura chose to reply with a rude noise.

They reached the safety of the town at last. Sura hastened on into the first open street, ducked about a corner, and ushered everyone on into a silent alley.

The coast seemed to be clear.

Heads down, the group limped towards the back yard of the town brothel. The two elementals hung to the rear, took one last glance at the forest, then hastened swiftly over to Chiri’s side.

Behind them, the forest once again became a great black wall of shadow.

Chapter
6

Immured in a luxurious private dining room, Sura made herself right at home in the local brothel. There were a great number of delicate, voluptuous little rice crackers in bowls,
sweet
wagashi
, dried fruits crystallised with honey, and big fat dried berries that had the most amazingly satisfying
crunch
of sugar inside them. Sura helped herself, while Chiri sat on the porch, talking to a water elemental from the backyard well. They were discussing the ins and outs of healing Benten’s wounded thigh, while Benten lay stoically on a folded quilt placed on the floorboards.

The courtesans were most gracious – there were two long, thin, elegant girls inside the dining room serving
tea, and a jolly round one who was busy bringing more dried berries for Sura. She bowed to Kuno and Tonbo, then turned to inspect Bifuuko, who sat grooming her gorgeously patterned wings atop an iron teapot.

There was a flood and flow of sparkling light from the porch. The water elemental flowed through and over Benten’s wound, making him jerk upwards, eyes opening wide in surprise. The courtesans
stared in alarm, but Sura merely waved a hand and dismissed the whole affair.

“He’ll be fine! Chiri’s amazing.” Sura gratefully accepted tea, and helped herself to more of th
e tasty little rice crackers. “Hey, do you have the recipe for these?”

“Thank you for your welcome.” Kuno bowed to the courtesans, and then eyed Sura. “Please do not attempt to make rice
crackers.”

“I can cook! They can’t be that difficult?”

“I beg you. My teeth are only mortal.”

A door slid open. In came the house’s owne
r, ‘Mama Ippongi’ – a round fussy woman who was forever fanning herself. She was attended by an anxious young girl who tried to make certain that all her mistress’ needs were anticipated and disasters averted: it was clearly a wearying job. She saw Benten with a water elemental on his thigh – the rat, the fox, and armoured samurai in her room, and began to raise a cry of protest. Benten rose up onto his elbows and managed to forestall her outburst.

“Mama Ippongi! All is well!
These good folk have rescued me from – from a most unpleasant fight.”

“
A fight?” Mama Ippongi’s fan worked overtime. The middle aged woman was quite incensed over the dangers faced by Benten. “Are they setting upon good people in the streets now? Truly these are the latter days of Buddha’s law! It is most unseemly.” The woman had to sit down, and was immediately presented with tea, tea cakes and a cushion. “This town! I should not say it, but under the Usagi, things were far, far better! Samurai were well-read and polite, and the people did not turn their hands to brigandry.” She suddenly put a finger to her lips in embarrassment, and bowed to Kuno and Tonbo. “No reflection upon you, dear sirs. None at all!”

Sura made an elegant gesture with her tail.

“Harsh rules lead the people into scheming and inventiveness. Harsh laws make the people secretive and filled with hate. Taxes and controls turn the people towards brigandage.

Thus the sage ruler keeps simple laws and forgoes controls. Leading by example, he brings forth a joy in simplicity throughout the realm.”

Mama Ippongi furiously worked her fan. “Oh quite so! Quite so! I could not agree more, my dear.” The woman looked at Sura
in a sort of bewildered interest. “You are a fox, I find?”

“I am! I am indeed, honoured hostess.”

“Well! It is a colourful world. You are most welcome!”

Benten’s
wound seemed to be largely healed. The elemental touched foreheads with Chiri, then swept away and back into the well. Daitanishi was sitting upon Benten’s belly, and the rock elemental eyed the wound, then grumpily flitted off to vanish into Chiri’s sleeve. Benten sat up, bloodied and dazed, and gave Mama Ippongi a bow.

“My friends – this is Mama
Ippongi. Mama Ippongi san, these are my guests. Kitsune Sura, Asodo Kuno, Tsunetomo Tonbo, and Nezumi Chiri. They are renowned Spirit Hunters, here to investigate the hauntings in the town. They have rescued me from bandits who attacked me on the road.”

“
Then they are doubly welcome! Doubly! Benten san is greatly valued by our house.” Mama Ippongi laid a hand upon Sura’s arm, seeking a sympathetic soul. “These are wicked times. Wicked! Our girls are delicate flowers. They are all expert musicians and entertainers. Benten guards them well.” Suddenly intrigued, the woman leaned in and looked more closely at the fox. “Spirit Hunters? Spirit Hunters, you say? How extraordinary! Perhaps the curse can be laid to rest at last! I should so love to taste woodland mushrooms again.” The woman froze with yet another thought. “Dinner! Yes – there are field puffballs and some crayfish. And venison – surely a fox must have venison.” She tapped Sura with her fan. “You shall eat with us. It shall be our thanks for aiding dear, dear Benten. Please – do join us in our evening meal.”

Sliding partitions were moved, opening out the room. Benten came in from the porch, leaning on his leg and happy to discover that the limb was stiff, but
apparently intact. Chiri was ushered inside, and the large room was prepared for a very early dinner. Sura eagerly sat up, already scenting food upon the air.

More courtesans arrived – all lacking their elaborate makeup, and all dressed in simple robes. They sat and chatted with one another, while maids dressed in far humbler costumes began to bring in trays. Mama Ippongi sat Sura beside her, and made Tonbo, Kuno and Chiri as welcome as she could. The samurai had all doffed their
armour for the occasion. Tonbo even made shift to comb down his hair.

Delicious scents came flooding into the room from the kitchens. Sura slavered, pu
lling out her own chopsticks from her short sword’s sheath, and stropping them against her sleeve.

“Mama san, you are a life saver! Saving the world is damned hungry work.”

Kuno shook his head. He leaned over to mutter into Chiri’s ear. “I still fail to see how a creature can claim to be so profound, and yet take such pleasure in worldly things…”

Sura merely waved her chopsticks at the man.

“On seeing him happily eating roast pork, the official Guonju once asked Zhuang Zhi:
“Should you indulge yourself so? Should not a wise man starve himself of food, embrace denial, and counsel his friend?”

Zhuang Zhi answered:
“I am flesh and blood! Contented, I shall think wise thoughts, and spread good counsel amongst the myriad things! Hungry, and I shall only think about my dinner. I would counsel my friends to feed me!”

The fox clicked her chopsticks at Kuno. “Enjoy the world! That way it will most certainly enjoy you!”

Dinner began to arrive – plates and bowls, cups and bottles.
It was all beautifully arrayed. Mama Ippongi saw to the seating of the courtesans and guests.

“
I hope you do not mind an early meal, Kitsune san.” Mama Ippongi carefully oversaw the arrival of little bowls of condiments. “The ladies eat now, in the late afternoon. Then when we offer dinner to our guests in the evening, the ladies display suitably small appetites.”

Tonbo eyed Sura, who was already thieving slivers of pink pickled ginger and happily eating them. He
shook his head.

“
Do you get any girls who just eat everything in sight at both meals?”

“Why no, samurai san. I have never seen it done.” Sura was reaching towards some little blossoms that had been arranged upon a blue glazed plate. “Tsunetomo san
, the fox is about to eat the flower arrangement. Should I intervene?”

Tonbo smacked Sura’s hand away from the flowers. He shoved dried berries in her direction, hoping they would at least stop her from gnawing on the tatami mats.

With a great welcome flurry, the maids finally brought in the food. Amongst them was a girl in a very plain green robe – a girl with hair kept demurely down over her ears. She had piercingly deep, intelligent eyes. The girl shot a swift glance at Benten – a look of such absolute love that it was breathtaking – a look he instantly returned. The girl dropped her eyes immediately, and came to set a tray before the kitsune.

Sura looked slyly up from taking stock of her tray – soup, rice, crayfish, and a steaming platter of venison. She
had noted the look that passed between Benten and the girl. Sura filed it away in the devious labyrinth of her mind, and applied herself to the task of eating dinner: if she finished swiftly enough, there was a distinct chance of getting seconds or thirds.

Meanwhile, Mama Ippongi was belabouring Kuno with a catalogue of her woes. The shortage of silk, the total
disappearance of wandering trade into the market, no entertainments. She fanned herself and shook her head, wondering at her own stoicism and courage.

“
You would never credit it, deputy Asodo! You would never credit the hardships I endure. And now we have yet more disasters! Bandits! Bandits and thugs upon the roads.” She drank sakē to try and soothe her nerves. “Dreadful. Dreadful! Bandits ambushing us – curses hunting us. The Raiden oppressing the people. Where will it all end? Were I not a cornerstone of this community, I would surely take my girls and leave. But I was born and raised here. It will take more than ghosts to chase me out!”

With the courtesans and guests all fed, the maids sat back in a row
against the wall, and ate their own dinner – the exact same fare, though served on simpler plates. Sura swung herself sideways so that she could find the maid in the green robes and talk to the girl while she ate.

The maid had honey-golden skin, and hauntingly beautiful hazel eyes.
Her robes were wrapped at the waist by a skirt kept loose and rumpled, and a folded fan – very old and treasured – had been thrust through the girl’s belt. Sura nodded to the girl and gave a smile.

“
And you, maid san. You have always lived and worked here?”

The maid started. She looked at Sura, then swiftly down at her food.

“No, honoured priestess. No.” The girl gave a bow – perfectly graceful. She had the most beautiful, intelligent accent. “I am Hanako. A mere humble servant. I was apprenticed as a musician to another house in the town of Udoji. But now I am most pleased to be a member of this house.”

“
And I am sure that this house benefits greatly from your presence, Hanako san.”

Mama Ippongi turned and gazed upon Hanako with great benevolence.

“Hanako san is our most valued apprentice. Where would we be without her herbs and medicines? She can even cure my headaches. How would I ever get to sleep without her medicines?”

Sura turned to regard Hanako.

“Oh really?”

Mama Ippongi started upon her third cup of sak
ē. “Yes, priestess. Yes indeed! She is a skilled herbalist. Such a talented girl.” The madam turned to regard Hanako with immense fondness. “Hanako chan is such a treasure. She was bought from another house after her mistress died. Not many apprentices actually ask to be brought to such a poor town, but Hanako chan clearly loves our home dearly. And her love brings us luck. She was even asked to attend the late lamented lord the night before he died. He saw her from his palanquin!” Mama Ippongi suddenly heaved a sigh, once again feeling her own woes.

“
We need luck. The town’s curse has even reached our house. One of my girls has died! And the old woman who did our laundry, no less! It is wicked. Wicked!”

Mama Ippongi had finished her meal. A sudden thought to
ok her, and she rose swiftly to her feet, her fan snapping open. The girl who attended her crammed the last of her own meal down her throat and hastened to the door. The madam rushed to the door to take her leave.

“I just heard the back door open. T
hose devils of cooks are pilfering rice again, I just know it! This time I shall catch them in the act!” The woman raced off. “Please do enjoy yourselves! Do stay – do stay! Oh – and we must get more sakē from the shed...”

Off she went, bustling away, the distant corners of the house echoing to her voice.
With Mama Ippongi gone, Sura made a slight little motion to Tonbo, who moved up beside her, making space between himself and Benten. Sura gestured happily to Hanako.