and you are his mirror image. Too afraid to accept a fair fight, even within sight of the emperor's protection."
Yakamo turned and took three tremendous steps toward Hitomi.
"Very well," he said. His voice was calm but an undertone of menace ran through it. "You may have your match. But if we fight I will not take pity on you for being such a fool. You are the one who has asked for this, and you are the one upon whom all the consequences fall."
Hitomi laughed. "Spare me your threats, Crab," she said. "I know who I'm facing. I know what you're capable of. And before we even start, I already know the outcome."
Yakamo grunted.
The two turned and stalked side by side toward a nearby dueling school, where a legal, honorable, and highly public match could be arranged.
Students of every ability level practiced in the large courtyard. The younger students performed their kata in long, neatly aligned rows. The intermediary students fought mock battles where every blow was choreographed like a Noh drama. Along the periphery the advanced students gathered around dueling pits, small arenas where two of their fellows fought one on one, using bokken.
The Crab and Dragon samurai followed them over to one of the pits. Yakamo and Hitomi's faces were set with grim determination. The others wore worried expressions. This was clearly more than a simple duel. Yakamo and Hitomi approached a group of sensei, explained their challenge, and asked to make use of the dueling arena.
The eldest of sensei agreed, with the provision that he and his colleagues act as referees for the match. He could see the burning hate in both combatants' eyes. This would be a match to first blood, not to the death.
Hitomi and Yakamo agreed, but each knew the first hit would be deadly.
Word spread quickly through the streets of Otosan Uchi. Before long, students, teachers, and visitors alike crowded around the pit. They stood five and six deep, craning their necks to see the combatants as they prepared for their duel
Mirumoto Hitomi knelt in one corner, her head bowed in meditation. She had her katana drawn and laid across her lap.
At the other end of the pit, Hida Yakamo stomped around and shook his head like a caged animal. He swung his tetsubo through the air in great arcs that passed frighteningly close to the first row of the crowd.
"Is it wise to allow this to go on?" Sukune whispered to Yori.
"Do you know of a way to stop it?" the shugenja returned.
The young Hida leaned his head to the left as he thought, then simply shook it.
"There is a tension between these two that must be released," Yori said. "Their karma has been intertwined for many years. This day was unavoidable. What's more, this may not be the end of it."
Mirumoto Hitomi stood and faced her opponent.
"Come," she said, "let this battle—the same battle we began here at Otosan Uchi during the Scorpion Coup—be finished here and now!"
Yakamo spat at her feet.
At the sensei's direction, they both took their stances. Hitomi adopted a classic dueling pose. Yakamo held his tetsubo over his head as though he were going to bring it crashing down on the referee.
"Remember," the sensei said, "this fight is to first blood only. May your actions bring honor to your clans."
Both contestants grunted.
"You may begin."
Hitomi stood still, studying her opponent. She looked for a point of weakness, a chink in his defense.
Yakamo snarled. He did not anticipate this kind of thoughtful fight from the Dragon. She was so angry and belligerent, he expected her to come right out and charge him the way she had last time. But apparently the young Mirumoto remembered what happened when her brother used that tactic in his final duel.
The Crab stomped one tremendous foot as though he would make the first charge. He pulled back and lowered his tetsubo. Standing with the weapon poised overhead would only tire his arms and slow his defenses.
Some of the novice students whistled and called for the pair to
Yakamo turned and took three tremendous steps toward Hitomi.
"Very well," he said. His voice was calm but an undertone of menace ran through it. "You may have your match. But if we fight I will not take pity on you for being such a fool. You are the one who has asked for this, and you are the one upon whom all the consequences fall."
Hitomi laughed. "Spare me your threats, Crab," she said. "I know who I'm facing. I know what you're capable of. And before we even start, I already know the outcome."
Yakamo grunted.
The two turned and stalked side by side toward a nearby dueling school, where a legal, honorable, and highly public match could be arranged.
Students of every ability level practiced in the large courtyard. The younger students performed their kata in long, neatly aligned rows. The intermediary students fought mock battles where every blow was choreographed like a Noh drama. Along the periphery the advanced students gathered around dueling pits, small arenas where two of their fellows fought one on one, using bokken.
The Crab and Dragon samurai followed them over to one of the pits. Yakamo and Hitomi's faces were set with grim determination. The others wore worried expressions. This was clearly more than a simple duel. Yakamo and Hitomi approached a group of sensei, explained their challenge, and asked to make use of the dueling arena.
The eldest of sensei agreed, with the provision that he and his colleagues act as referees for the match. He could see the burning hate in both combatants' eyes. This would be a match to first blood, not to the death.
Hitomi and Yakamo agreed, but each knew the first hit would be deadly.
Word spread quickly through the streets of Otosan Uchi. Before long, students, teachers, and visitors alike crowded around the pit. They stood five and six deep, craning their necks to see the combatants as they prepared for their duel
Mirumoto Hitomi knelt in one corner, her head bowed in meditation. She had her katana drawn and laid across her lap.
At the other end of the pit, Hida Yakamo stomped around and shook his head like a caged animal. He swung his tetsubo through the air in great arcs that passed frighteningly close to the first row of the crowd.
"Is it wise to allow this to go on?" Sukune whispered to Yori.
"Do you know of a way to stop it?" the shugenja returned.
The young Hida leaned his head to the left as he thought, then simply shook it.
"There is a tension between these two that must be released," Yori said. "Their karma has been intertwined for many years. This day was unavoidable. What's more, this may not be the end of it."
Mirumoto Hitomi stood and faced her opponent.
"Come," she said, "let this battle—the same battle we began here at Otosan Uchi during the Scorpion Coup—be finished here and now!"
Yakamo spat at her feet.
At the sensei's direction, they both took their stances. Hitomi adopted a classic dueling pose. Yakamo held his tetsubo over his head as though he were going to bring it crashing down on the referee.
"Remember," the sensei said, "this fight is to first blood only. May your actions bring honor to your clans."
Both contestants grunted.
"You may begin."
Hitomi stood still, studying her opponent. She looked for a point of weakness, a chink in his defense.
Yakamo snarled. He did not anticipate this kind of thoughtful fight from the Dragon. She was so angry and belligerent, he expected her to come right out and charge him the way she had last time. But apparently the young Mirumoto remembered what happened when her brother used that tactic in his final duel.
The Crab stomped one tremendous foot as though he would make the first charge. He pulled back and lowered his tetsubo. Standing with the weapon poised overhead would only tire his arms and slow his defenses.
Some of the novice students whistled and called for the pair to
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