The Satomi Chronicle

Book One

The Book of Thunder
 
                                
Chapter 1  Shosen (First Battle)

(Hitomi)


The blinding rain turned the battlefield into a hell of black, soggy mud. Like beasts we fought, like beasts we died.  I had lost all longing to come out of this alive, we all had.  The neigh of horses, the whistling of the wind as arrows whizzed past to down another unwary victim, the dying scream of men and women and the heavy thud as their armored bodies hit the pitiless cold mud…I knew not how many had fallen at the tip of my yari (spear), nor when did I first face the young onamusha (female warrior) and engage ourselves in mortal combat.  Suddently, I found the tip of my yari buried into her abdomen just below the protective plates.  There was the look of surprise on her face as she fell on her knees.
"So, this is death..."I said to myself as I gazed into those sad eyes.  Her hands were still gripping firmly the shaft of my yari; she should be no more than my age, so pretty, so brave.  Even now, when Death was no more than a breadth away, she was still defiant, her eyes resolute and refused to plead for mercy.  Relentless rain, not tears ran down her pretty face.  No one could help her now.  Her thirty or so female companions had all fallen. Their bodies were littering the soft cold muddy ground, their youth squandered.  They had fought well and died becoming of a princess's bodyguards.
It could have been me with the tip of a yari in the stomach.  We were evenly matched and it was my first battle anyway and hence equally inexperienced in the craft of slaughter.  But I survived my first trial of battle and she was to pay the price of the vanquished...
"Namae?"I demanded to know her name.
"Karoi...of the House of Chiba." she proudly pronounced her heritage.
"I am Hitomi, daughter of the Lord Satomi" I let her know who her slayer was.  
She nodded in acknowledgement.  Then, her face was contorted with a sudden pain rising from her stomach.  It would not be long.  I could have ended her agony by retrieving my yari.  Death would come quick and merciful then.  But that would be an unfitting end for a sister-warrior I had come to admire.
"Kaori, say your last prayer." both of us were surprised by the softness in tone of my voice.
"Hitomi-sama...help me...kaishaku..."
I looked her hard in the eyes and then I nodded.  
I released my hold on the shaft, letting the weapon's weight rest on Kaori's weakening hands.
Quickly I went to her back and pulled out my tanto (short sword).  With this, I cut the straps that held the heavy black breast armour in place.  She did not protest and when I removed her blood-soaked green blouse, she even released her hands from the shaft for a brief moment to make my task easier.  Now, there was only the thin white cotton gauze undershirt that clang to her body and the heavy rain immediately soaked it through so that the shape of her small but firm breasts and the hardened nipples became visible.  She should have made a much-valued bride to some samurai one-day, or even concubine of daimyo (Lord of a clan).  But everything would end soon now...
I unsheathed my katana from its scabbard.
They called it “Swallow" and it was an apt name, as the blade was light as feather but deadly sharp.
"Are you ready, Kaori-sama?" I demanded.
Kaori seemed to freeze for a brief second, and then slightly leaning forward so that her slender neck was exposed and her hands directed the yari in her belly to make a small horizontal cutting movement.  It was only a symbolic of the ritual hara-kiri but it sufficed.  Her honor was now intact.
"Komen!" I uttered the ritual apology and brought the blade onto the nape of her neck.
Her head flew, the long black hair that had been tied into a cute ponytail tailing after.  A jet of blood shot from the neck and dyed the shaft of the yari crimson red as her body toppled forward.  I gave it a small kick to turn it over and let it lie spread-eagle in the rain. .
"Rest and be reborn into Nirvana!" I muttered as I clasped my hands and offered my prayer.
One of my maidens had taken up the head and rinsed it in a small pool of rainwater and had it presented to me.  She was so pretty and calm even in death. “Would I fare equally well when my time came?" I closed my eyes and tried to envision my head being struck off my neck and the world tumbled round and round as my head made its last flight.
I heard sound of hooves.  Quickly I turned to face the potential threat.  A group of riders came out from the blinding rain.  I relaxed.  They wore the Satomi clan kamon of chrysanthemum.  Katsuo led the troop of a dozen riders and reined in his horse a breadth away from where I stood.
"Well done, my valiant Hitomi" he shot a glance at the head of the slain girl in my hand.
"How goes the battle, Ani-ue ?" I asked, using the proper honorific address to an elder brother.
"The gods are with us." he spoke as he steadied his mount “But it was a close one.  Had it but for the rain, we might have been worsted."
My eyes must have shown my puzzlement.
He laughed and it aroused a very special feeling inside my guts.  How I loved that laugh, so vigorous and carefree, reminding the days when we used to ride side by side across fields of spring.  I knew I began to love him then and I knew how much I loved him now.  He, my half-brother, flesh and blood of my father, whose hands murdered the whole household of my mother before taking her to his marital bed...
No, I was not just sibling love…that I well knew.  It was something more intense, more forbidden and more sinister.
I forced that feeling back into my guts,
'Without this rain, the enemy's gunners would create havoc in our ranks.  Say your prayer of thanks, Hitomi, for the damping of their flint.
‘So, Ani-ue.  We have won?"
"No, not yet though victory will be ours.  The enemy is in retreat and we must cut them off by sealing off the pocket. “He pointed his katana towards the north-westerly direction.  "If only I was given command of the cavalry!’He hissed between his teeth.
I sensed his anger rising.  He had requested the command of the guard cavalry and was denied.
"Ani-ue. you can use us...."
He glanced at those under my command and chuckled.
"No, my Hitomi, no offence but we need something more destructive than that.  And I had no intention to let my beloved Hitomi meet the same fate as her." His glance fell on Kaori's head now, dangling by the hair, which I held by the hand.
My face reddened.  Though I knew he was right, that my pitiful command could do no more than delaying the enemy's retreat for a while before being wiped out, I resented to be turned turn..
I was about to retort when a messenger-rider sped towards my brother.
"My Lord, unidentified cavalry appearing on left flank!"
"How many?" my brother's eyes tensed.  It was a grave threat.  With all the men so tired and soaked, the appearance of a mounted foe could spell disaster.
"We were not able to see, my Lord...too heavy rain but the sound of hooves told a great number."
"Go nearer and find out, you idiot!" he snapped and as the messenger-rider sped off to do better reconnaissance, Katsuo began to bark orders to his lieutenants to draw up the troop of reserve spearmen just in case.
"Ani-ue" I called for his attention.
"Let us form the first picket line."
He looked puzzled but there was little choice for him.  It would be at least a while before he could muster enough spearmen to form a respectable defense.
"Hitomi, do not get yourself killed."
I did not answer.  My maid led my horse, Gin-getsu to me and I mounted him, tying the head of Kaori by the side of the horse-neck.  
"Mae!" I shouted and led my maidens to the direction of the threat.
They were many.  The ground shuddered as the hooves trampled on the mudded field.  I stole a glance at the pretty head dangling by the side.  Would I soon meet the same fate, my head adorning the saddle of an enemy samurai and my stripped body lying spread-eagle in the wet mud?  
Then, I knew my fear was ungrounded.  The ghosts-like army rode out from the wall of rain and swept across the muddy plain towards the pass.  They were my father's household cavalry, released now for the final kill.  Then I saw the battle-banner of Ikkenshi, the character "SKY" set in black against a white background...  
.I knew what it meant.  Ikkenshi had stolen his brother's victory at the last moment when the bitter part of fighting was over and victory was certain with our father's backing.  That was the way Satomi Fumio would rob the hard earned victory from his eldest and gave it to his favourite one. And all that just because he was the son born of Haru-no-ho, his favourite concubine turned wife.  It was undoubtedly her scheme again and how she would laugh at its success.
I cursed and pulled my reins and rode back to Katsuo’s side.  It would not be difficult to foretell his wrath when he found out what had happened.