The Ring of Water - Chris Bradford [21]
‘What sort of ninja are you?’ he said, noticing her clothing was tatty and only black because of ingrained dirt.
‘What sort of samurai are you?’ she retorted, her eyes wide with alarm at the sight of her blond-haired, blue-eyed attacker.
Jack released the pressure on the girl’s throat, but still didn’t let her up. ‘One who protects his friends from murderers like you.’
‘I’m no murderer!’
‘So what were you doing?’
‘I … I … just wanted to look at his inro,’ she protested, pointing to the small battered wooden carrying case on the samurai’s hip.
‘A petty thief!’ spat Ronin in disgust, his bloodshot eyes glaring at her.
‘No, I’m not!’ responded the girl indignantly.
‘What are you then?’ demanded Ronin.
She considered for a moment, then answered, ‘A highly skilful thief.’
‘Not that skilful,’ Ronin snorted. ‘You were caught.’
‘Well, I evaded you in the bushes!’ she said, a haughty look in her eyes. ‘You passed right by me behind the pine tree. I could’ve taken your inro then!’
Ronin stood up, waving Jack aside. ‘We’d better check what you do have.’
Grabbing the girl by the ankles, Ronin held her upside down and roughly shook her.
‘Let go!’ she cried, struggling in vain.
Three ornate brass hairpins dropped to the ground, followed by an ivory fan, a tortoiseshell comb, a bag of coins and a small blunt knife.
‘Not bad takings,’ muttered Ronin, dropping the girl and picking up the bag. He emptied its contents into his hand. ‘What’s this? Your lucky charm?’
A little paper crane sat among the coins in Ronin’s palm.
‘Don’t tell me. Thieves now practise the art of origami!’
Jack stared at the bird. ‘Let me see that.’
Ronin handed him the crane and Jack lifted its wing. Beneath it, inscribed in tiny kanji characters, was the word: Senbazuru.
Jack knew this meant ‘One Thousand Cranes’ according to the legend that said any person who folds a thousand such origami birds is granted a wish. His friend Yori had made this paper crane and had wished for Jack’s safe journey home.
‘Did you steal this from me?’ said Jack to the girl, who’d sat up and was moodily brushing off leaves.
She glanced up, a flash of defiance in her eyes. ‘No.’
‘Then where did you get it?’ Jack demanded, grabbing her arm for her full attention.
‘Some samurai,’ she replied, shrugging him off. ‘But he doesn’t care; he’s dead now.’
‘What else did you steal?’
The girl became tight-lipped.
‘Answer him!’ snarled Ronin.
‘Nothing …’ she murmured, shrinking from the samurai.
Ronin advanced on her, knife in hand.
‘Some money … and a black pearl from his friends,’ she added quickly.
‘A black pearl!’ breathed Ronin, stopping in his tracks.
‘Where is it?’ asked Jack, his eyes darting from the coins in Ronin’s hand to the spoils on the ground.
She offered him a smug smile. ‘I sold it.’
12
THE THIEF
‘That hurts!’ whined the girl thief as Ronin bound her to the fallen log.
‘Stop complaining!’ said Ronin, tying up her hands with the sageo cord from his saya. ‘Or I’ll be forced to gag you.’
The girl stuck her tongue out at him, but kept quiet. Having secured her, Ronin withdrew his knife and rested its razor-sharp edge upon her cheek.
‘Now you will tell us who’s got the pearl, or …’ He left the rest unsaid.
She glared back at Ronin, her eyes daring him to do it.
‘Ronin!’ Jack interrupted, worried the samurai might carry out his threat. ‘Let me try first.’
‘Be my guest,’ he replied, offering the knife.
Jack politely refused, considering a more friendly approach might loosen the girl’s tongue. He knelt down beside the thief.
‘What’s your name?’ asked Jack, smiling.
‘Hana.’
‘I’m Jack.’ He inclined his head respectfully, but was stopped mid-bow by her reply.
‘I know. The dōshin were talking about you. Some big reward for your head.’
At this Jack felt Ronin’s eyes suddenly upon him.
‘Don’t know why anyone would pay a whole koban for your head?’ Hana smirked, eyeing up Jack. ‘That amount of gold could keep me in rice for three years!’
Jack glanced at Ronin. Had this knowledge