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Jack could well believe it and his heart lifted. The castle appeared impregnable and the army invincible. Maybe there was hope after all.

Jack soon lost his bearings in the labyrinth of stone steps and roads, and was glad when they finally halted in a large treelined courtyard with a building reminiscent of the Butokuden. Masamoto ordered his students to line up and there they waited while he disappeared with Sensei Hosokawa in the direction of the donjon.

The keep was nearer now, but still appeared to be some ten minutes’ march away. Jack reckoned they’d entered the inner defences of the castle, but the area was still large enough to contain a small town. Off to one side was a carefully tended garden with little bridges and a tiny stream that ran into a pond. Blossoming sakura trees offered shade and across from where the students stood was a small well. Aside from the availability of water, Jack had noticed along their route a plum grove and numerous storehouses being stocked with rice, salt, soya beans and dried fish. It was clear those in the castle would not only be safe, but self-sufficient against any siege.

Sensei Hosokawa returned, calling them sharply to attention. He was swiftly followed by an entourage of fully armed samurai warriors. In its midst was daimyo Takatomi, accompanied by Masamoto, several retainers and a young boy.

‘Kneel!’ commanded Sensei Hosokawa and all the young samurai dropped to one knee and bowed their heads.

Daimyo Takatomi stepped forward to speak.

‘It is with great honour that I present to you his lordship Hasegawa Satoshi, Japan’s rightful heir and ruler-in-waiting.’

The boy, surrounded by the retainers, nodded his head in acknowledgement. Jack risked a glance up. Satoshi appeared not much older than himself. Maybe sixteen. He had a thin unblemished face with the early signs of a moustache faint upon his upper lip. His hair had been pulled into a topknot and he wore the full regalia of a commanding daimyo. What surprised Jack the most was the small silver Christian cross that hung from the boy’s neck.

‘Your young samurai are most welcome in my castle, Masamoto-sama,’ piped Satoshi. ‘With each passing day, more loyal troops arrive. Our army will soon number over a hundred thousand. With such a force, we will crush daimyo Kamakura and his illegitimate campaign.’

Moving with the gracious airs of one brought up in nobility, Satoshi inspected the lines of young samurai. He stopped before Jack.

‘And who is this?’ he asked, taken by surprise at the unexpected mop of blond among the rows of black-haired Japanese.

Jack bowed. ‘Jack Fletcher, at your service.’

Satoshi laughed heartily. ‘This will certainly put the fear of God into our enemy. A foreign samurai!’

His retainers joined in the laughter. Except one. Close behind the boy stood a man of European descent, tall and slim, with dark-olive skin and slicked-back hair. Jack hadn’t noticed him before because he wore the same formal attire as the rest of the retainers. The man’s eyes flared a moment on seeing Jack, then appeared to regain their composure. A tight smile formed on his thin lips. He whispered something in Satoshi’s ear as the entourage moved on.

Jack wished he could have overheard what the man said. The foreigner clearly had some influence over Satoshi to be part of his private entourage. And Jack should have been comforted by the presence of another European face, but he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Having completed his inspection, Satoshi nodded his approval to Masamoto and departed, his retainers and samurai guard following swiftly behind. Daimyo Takatomi and Masamoto headed towards the garden, deep in discussion, leaving Sensei Hosokawa in charge.

‘These are to be our barracks,’ announced Sensei Hosokawa, indicating the building behind them. ‘Deposit your kit, then follow me to the armoury.’

There were no beds inside, just a large empty hall separated at one end by a shoji screen. Jack followed Yamato and Yori, while Akiko headed to the other side of the screen