The Ring Of Earth Part 19

'He's lying,' said Momochi. 'Are we to believe he overcame a guard and escaped from a locked cage all by himself? He must must have betrayed us.' have betrayed us.'

'NO!' Jack insisted. 'If anyone was betrayed, it was me me.'

'Please explain,' said Shonin, holding up his hand to silence Momochi's objection.

Jack took a second to compose himself. Momochi had been undermining his defence from the very start, pushing for his immediate execution as a traitor. Now he wanted to turn the tables. To discover whether Momochi had betrayed him, or Gemnan had lied.

'The daimyo daimyo's torturer said a ninja ninja,' Jack looked directly at Momochi, 'had informed them of my presence.'

A moment of shocked silence pa.s.sed between the three men. Soke looked at Momochi questioningly.

'If you're accusing me,' contested Momochi, 'then think again. From the outset I've made my disapproval clear, but I would never never jeopardize the safety of our village. My family are here, remember. Shonin, I respect your authority and would have informed you of any such plan.' jeopardize the safety of our village. My family are here, remember. Shonin, I respect your authority and would have informed you of any such plan.'

Jack was almost convinced Momochi was telling the truth. And so too, it appeared, was Shonin. That left Miyuki. But she'd been with him throughout the mission. No, that wasn't entirely true No, that wasn't entirely true, Jack realized. Miyuki had gone on her own to see the priest at the temple at least, that's what she said she was doing.

'Perhaps it was someone else,' suggested Jack, glancing over his shoulder at Miyuki.

'Nonsense!' snapped Momochi. 'A ninja would know better than to endanger a mission like that. This samurai Gemnan was obviously trying to get you to talk. And I suspect you did did!'

'That's not true. I was willing to give my life to protect this village,' declared Jack.

'I believe you, Jack-kun,' said Soke.

'You would!' Momochi shot back irately. 'But your judgement of character has been called into question once before '

'Enough!' interrupted Shonin, seeing the old wound open up in the Grandmaster. 'I've heard both of you and listened to Jack's recount. What we need is an informed judgement. Where's Zenjubo?'

Miyuki bowed and spoke. 'He returned to the castle. His plan was to rescue Jack or ensure he didn't talk.'

Jack understood the cold-blooded implication of that statement. If he hadn't managed to escape, he'd have been the victim of a ninja a.s.sa.s.sination.

'Shonin,' called a ninja in the doorway. 'Zenjubo's just coming into the square.'

A moment later, Zenjubo walked in, dirty and travel-worn. He barely looked at Jack as he pa.s.sed by. Bowing before the council, he made his report.

Shonin listened without comment, then asked, 'Has the village been compromised in any way?'

Zenjubo shook his head. 'The boy said nothing.'

36.

ONE OF THE C CLAN.

'I owe you an apology,' said Miyuki.

Jack was startled by the admission. She stood before him, her head bowed in respect. Miyuki had found him by the village pond, where Jack had gone after the council meeting to recover and gather his thoughts. The question of who'd betrayed him still remained unanswered. Although it was more than likely a ploy by Gemnan, Jack as a samurai was yet to be convinced of a ninja's loyalty and honour to him. Shin.o.bi Shin.o.bi may follow may follow ninniku ninniku, but they weren't bound by the code of bushido bushido like the samurai were. like the samurai were.

When he'd seen Miyuki approach, Jack had tensed for yet another confrontation. But her remorseful att.i.tude took him completely off-guard.

'Apologize?' said Jack.

She looked up at him, her dark eyes, once so full of hatred, seeming to have thawed.

'I was wrong,' she confessed. 'My bitterness at my family's fate would only let me see you as samurai.'

Jack listened, speechless. Was this the same girl who had thrown him into a manure heap? Knocked him out cold? Put a knife to his throat, twice? Was this the same girl who had thrown him into a manure heap? Knocked him out cold? Put a knife to his throat, twice?

Miyuki continued. 'Soke once told me that a single tree doesn't make a forest. But I thought all samurai trees grew from the same seed. You proved me wrong. The spirit of ninniku ninniku is within you.' is within you.'

She placed a hand over her chest. 'Jack, you have a pure heart. You didn't betray us to the daimyo daimyo. In my eyes, that makes you a true true ninja.' She bowed low, this time holding it. ninja.' She bowed low, this time holding it.

'Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?' she asked in a tremulous voice.

Jack knew the j.a.panese valued apology highly. A sincere and respectful one was considered to wipe away all transgressions. He also realized it took Miyuki great courage to admit she was wrong, considering all the hostility that had pa.s.sed between them. He wasn't one to hold grudges. Besides, hadn't he also been guilty of misjudging the ninja? Unless Miyuki was attempting a very cunning deception, it seemed doubtful that she'd betrayed him. And it would do him no favours to throw her apology back in her face. He decided to take the risk and trust her sincerity.

'Of course,' said Jack. 'On condition that you'll accept my apology for breaking your water pot.'

'Yes,' she replied, a smile lighting up her face.

That evening, Shonin arranged for a celebration of Jack's official induction as a ninja. He held a formal dinner in his farmhouse, inviting all the heads of family, as well as Tenzen, Miyuki and Hanzo. To Jack's surprise, Miyuki chose the seat beside him.

'May I?' said Miyuki, offering to pour Jack his tea.

Jack hesitated. After all the antagonism between them, he still couldn't quite believe she was acting so amicably. He also recalled her lethal answer to the Ring of Water.

'I haven't poisoned it, if that's what you're thinking,' she laughed.

'No, of course not,' Jack replied, and, hurriedly thinking of an excuse, added, 'It's just, in England, a man pours his own drink.'

'Well, you're in j.a.pan,' she said, filling his cup.

'What's England like?' asked Hanzo, who sat on Jack's other side.

Jack thought for a moment. An unexpected wave of homesickness. .h.i.t him. He could recall green fields, dirty streets, bustling ports, the smell of baking bread, the stink of the tanneries, the peel of church bells on a Sunday, the laughter of his little sister. But these memories of home were fading like a ship in fog. He'd been gone too long, far too long.

'Very different from j.a.pan,' he replied, a faraway look in his eyes. 'But some things are the same. It's an island like j.a.pan. We have castles. Farms. But we grow wheat, not rice. No one drinks tea, though we do eat fish. Just not like this.' He picked up a slice of raw salmon with his hashi hashi and popped it in his mouth. and popped it in his mouth.

'Do you have samurai and ninja too?' asked Hanzo eagerly.

'No,' replied Jack, smiling at the idea. 'But we used to have knights who fought for the King. They followed a code much like bushido bushido called chivalry.' called chivalry.'

'But if you don't have rice, tea or ninja, why would you want to go home?' asked Hanzo, his brow creasing in bewilderment.

Jack almost laughed out loud at Hanzo's childlike logic, and was only stopped by the nagging worry tugging at his heart.

'Jess ... she's waiting for me.'

'Jess?' queried Miyuki. 'She's your ...'

'Little sister,' said Jack. 'She was left in the care of an old neighbour. But I've been gone so long I worry she's now on her own or in a workhouse.'

'I'm sure she's fine,' consoled Miyuki, hearing the anxiety in his voice. 'If she's half as resilient as you, she'll have found a way to survive.'

Jack bowed his head in acknowledgement of Miyuki's kind words, but the gesture was more to hide the tears welling in his eyes. When he and his father had left Jess in England, she was barely five years old, innocent and vulnerable. That was how he still pictured her; and as her older brother and only surviving relative, it was his duty to look after her. He had had to continue his journey to Nagasaki and home. to continue his journey to Nagasaki and home.

Jack tried to put his concerns to the back of his mind. If he was worried for Jess, then Akiko was equally grieving for Kiyoshi. Somehow, Jack vowed, he would reunite them.

Hanzo, in his youth and enthusiasm, was oblivious to Jack's moment of sadness. Shovelling down another mouthful of rice, he said, 'Tengu, tell me again how you escaped the samurai. Are you sure sure you didn't use magic and fly out?' you didn't use magic and fly out?'

Turning to Hanzo, Jack prepared to regale his story of escape for the umpteenth time when Shonin clapped for attention.

'Tonight is for celebration and reflection,' he announced. 'I admit my judgement was misguided in sending Jack upon this mission. Momochi, please accept my apology. But even monkeys fall from trees.'

There was some laughter at this, and Momochi seemed satisfied that his opinion had been publicly and respectfully acknowledged.

'But I have been proved right,' continued Shonin, 'in agreeing to Soke's request to train Jack as a ninja.'

All heads turned towards Jack, who felt slightly embarra.s.sed at being the centre of attention. Hanzo, though, beamed proudly on his behalf.

'Our foreign friend has proved himself, beyond doubt, to be loyal to our clan. Not only that, his incredible escape is a credit to the boy's ninjutsu ninjutsu skills and our Grandmaster's tuition.' skills and our Grandmaster's tuition.'

There was a murmur of approval and Soke bowed humbly in response.

'I realize some of you may question the fact that Jack was caught in the first place. But his experience has taught us an important lesson.'

Shonin paused to ensure he had everyone's undivided attention.

'The samurai are getting wise to our tricks. Seeing through our disguises. We must must take more care in the future. As you know, take more care in the future. As you know, daimyo daimyo Akechi is planning to invade the Iga mountains once again. Thanks to Jack, we've learnt it's a matter of personal revenge, and Zenjubo has confirmed Akechi Akechi is planning to invade the Iga mountains once again. Thanks to Jack, we've learnt it's a matter of personal revenge, and Zenjubo has confirmed Akechi doesn't doesn't have the support of the Shogun.' have the support of the Shogun.'

Intense whispering broke out among the ninja. Shonin waited for silence before continuing. 'We're already using this information to our advantage. Momochi has sent emissaries to the Shogun's court in Edo. Covertly, they will pet.i.tion against daimyo daimyo Akechi, spread rumours he's intending to enlarge his province by force. We'll also remind the court officials of the Akechi, spread rumours he's intending to enlarge his province by force. We'll also remind the court officials of the shin.o.bi shin.o.bi's loyal service in the recent war, seeking for that debt to be recognized. With any luck, the Shogun will put a stop to Akechi's plans without a single sword being drawn.'

A round of applause greeted this strategy and Shonin smiled, satisfied with the approval his clan had given him. Jack remembered how Soke had told him the shin.o.bi shin.o.bi only sought combat as a last resort, preferring espionage to warfare. Here was the proof. only sought combat as a last resort, preferring espionage to warfare. Here was the proof.

'But enough of such dark thoughts; it's time to accept Jack as one of the clan,' Shonin declared. 'The sparrow never lands where the tiger roams.'

Immediately everyone got to their feet. Except Jack.

'Stand up,' Miyuki whispered. 'That's our clan's secret pa.s.sword. Anyone who doesn't stand reveals themselves as the enemy.'

Shonin raised his cup. 'Jack has woken from death and returned to life. His old path as a samurai is his new road as a ninja.'

Shonin and all the heads of family then toasted Jack.

'Ninja Jack! May the Five Rings guide you!'

37.

THE N NOTE.

Jack felt like the frog that had finally seen the great sea. Although he was still honour-bound to the samurai, Jack couldn't deny his pride at being accepted as one of the ninja clan.

Throughout his training he'd wrestled with his conscience, struggling to justify his a.s.sociation with the shin.o.bi shin.o.bi against his father's death at their hands. To begin with he'd rationalized his decision as a matter of survival, then as a means to knowing his enemy. But as time had gone on, Jack realized the ninja were perhaps no longer his foe and that he enjoyed against his father's death at their hands. To begin with he'd rationalized his decision as a matter of survival, then as a means to knowing his enemy. But as time had gone on, Jack realized the ninja were perhaps no longer his foe and that he enjoyed ninjutsu ninjutsu. Not only that, he'd discovered certain skills were better better and and more more effective than the samurai martial arts. effective than the samurai martial arts.

At first, he'd considered this a betrayal of the teachings of Masamoto whose sword work was unparalleled. But now he saw the two styles could be complementary to one another. Just as he'd come to terms with balancing Buddhism and his own Christian beliefs they're all strands of the same rug, only different colours they're all strands of the same rug, only different colours, as Sensei Yamada had once said perhaps ninjutsu ninjutsu and the samurai arts could exist side by side. Maybe he could be and the samurai arts could exist side by side. Maybe he could be both both samurai and ninja. That combination had certainly made Akiko a formidable martial artist. He hoped the same would apply to him and that his father up in Heaven would understand his decision. samurai and ninja. That combination had certainly made Akiko a formidable martial artist. He hoped the same would apply to him and that his father up in Heaven would understand his decision.

Whatever, Jack knew his loyalty his soul would always remain with Masamoto and the samurai. But the spirit of ninniku ninniku, the pure heart of the ninja, was undoubtedly becoming part of him. This was why he was finding it so hard to write the note to Akiko.

Sitting upon the steps of the village temple, shaded from the sun, the white sheet of rice paper he'd taken from Soke's house remained blank in his lap. Jack couldn't simply write down the directions to the village for her. If the note fell into the wrong hands, he would would be a traitor and Akechi's army would come and destroy the clan. be a traitor and Akechi's army would come and destroy the clan.

The message had to be encoded. He understood the principles of making a cryptogram, since his father had instructed him on how to decipher the code that hid the most important information in the rutter rutter. However, the difficulty in this instance was creating a cipher that Akiko could understand and work out on her own.

After a great deal of thought, Jack decided to use a combination of the j.a.panese kanji kanji Akiko had taught him, the few English words he'd shown her and references to their training at the Akiko had taught him, the few English words he'd shown her and references to their training at the Niten Ichi Ry Niten Ichi Ry.

Picking up the piece of charcoal he'd acquired from Soke's furnace oven, Jack began to write. It was laborious work. Not only did he have to code the message accurately, but Jack had to remember all the necessary kanji kanji symbols and the correct order of their strokes. symbols and the correct order of their strokes.

The note took him several attempts to get right, but by mid-morning he had the finished article. Now he just needed to find someone to deliver it for him.

'What are you doing?' said a voice from behind.

Jack, guilty, hid the note inside his jacket as Shiro emerged from the forest.

'Nothing,' replied Jack breezily.

'Looks like you were writing something,' said Shiro, eyeing him suspiciously.

How long had Shiro been standing there? wondered Jack with growing concern. wondered Jack with growing concern.

Jack had chosen the temple for its seclusion and when he'd arrived earlier that morning, he'd been careful to ensure the place was deserted. Throughout his task, he'd kept one eye on the path leading up from the village. For whatever reason, Shiro must have been out in the forest before dawn.

'I was practising my kanji kanji,' replied Jack, holding up one of his crumpled earlier attempts. 'But I'm not very good.'

He screwed up the paper, collected the other pieces and got to his feet. 'So what are you doing here?'

'Looking for you,' said Shiro. Pursing his lips, he asked, 'You've lived with the samurai what's their life like?'

Something about Shiro's question put Jack on his guard. 'I was treated well. Samurai school was disciplined, but I learnt a great deal.'