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The Courtship of Lady Tokio

by Misaki Toyodome

Chapter 7 - Mibu Kyougen

Late November – 1863

Things had been quiet within the Shinsengumi for the last few weeks. Choushuu seemed to be keeping a low profile: they must have realised that the Shinsengumi were tracing the identity of their secret assassin. This meant that despite daily patrols by the Shinsengumi troops, there were no new discoveries nor any reports of disturbances. Kyoto seemed to lulling itself into a kind of tense calm as the end of the year approached.

On a lazy November afternoon, Kondou called an executive meeting. The maple leaves were starting to fall to the ground, and the streets were a riot of colour.

"I received a message from Hirosawa-san of Aizu that Lord Matsudaira desires to visit us here in Mibu."

The men looked at each other, surprised. It was not the norm for high-ranking dignitaries to call upon them.

"He'll be coming under cover though, with a very small entourage, nothing that would make it appear that the Aizu-kou is here," Kondou continued. "'I've been asked to give him a tour of the compound, and also to provide some entertainment."

"Entertainment? Such as another training demonstration, Kondou-san?" Okita asked eagerly.

"Hey Okita, you're just thinking about showing off again!" Harada cut in.

"Actually, I was thinking along the lines of something more artistic. I'm sure you've all heard that the temple here in Mibu is reknowned for 'Mibu Kyougen'. It's a unique experience, I'm told, and I'm sure that Matsudaira-kou would be interested." He turned towards Yamanami. "Yamanami-san, if I could ask you to make the necessary arrangements."

"Of course, Kondou-san."

"And Toshi, and everyone else too, please make sure that the troops know that Matsudaira-kou will be coming, and that although he is coming in disguise, that he is in no way to be disrespected."

They all bowed. Kondou sighed.

"And I suppose that the place could do with being a bit cleaner too." They bit their lips. They'd be damned if they were expected to take up dusting rather than sparring.

One week later, Aizu-kou Matsudaira Katamori arrived with just one retainer and one scribe at the Yagi estate in Mibu. Apparently, he had other guards in disguise positioned all along the route from Koumyouji to Mibu. Kondou, Hijikata and Yamanami greeted them at the gates, and escorted them inside and out of view of the public. The other executive members were lined up inside the courtyard, and they all bowed.

"Please, please, I am here undercover, there really is no need for such a grand reception," protested Matsudaira self-consciously.

"We are most honoured by your presence among us today, Matsudaira-sama," Kondou announced. Matsudaira bowed his head in acknowledgement.

"Kondou-kun, you are of course acquainted with Hirosawa here." Hirosawa exchanged bows with the Shinsengumi members. "And may I introduce to you Takagi Tokio. Her father is our representative in Edo to the Shogun, and he makes sure that tales of your deeds and valour reach the Shogun's ear. Takagi is a very respected man, and it is thanks to him that we, Kyoto Shugoshoku, have as much support as we do from the Shogunate and the Imperial court. Tokio-san here is his eldest child, and she is a valuable member of my company in Koumyouji." Tokio bowed gracefully. "She's heading back to Edo in a few days to join her family, and I thought she might enjoy the famous Mibu Kyougen before she left so I asked her to accompany me today."

Saitou glanced at her swiftly. Tokio had bowed low to address Kondou.

"It is an honour and a pleasure to be introduced to you formally, Kondou-sensei."

"Please, the pleasure is all mine. If I may be so bold to tell you, my men and I couldn't help but notice you at our inauguration."

"I am delighted that you would remember me, Kondou-sensei."

Saitou looked around. Okita was beaming and trying to catch her eye, Harada looked like he was ready to pounce towards her, Nagakura (such a composed man usually) had turned slightly pink, Toudou was staring at the ground, refusing to allow himself to stare at her, and even old Inoue was standing up straighter, chest pushed out. He gave a short snort – it was ridiculous. It irritated him, to see them affected by a mere girl. (He ignored the uneasy feeling that he was not all that different to them, that perhaps it was he who had been affected the most.)

Saitou watched as Kondou, Hijikata and Yamanami led the group into the building. He saw Tokio look his way, and he met her gaze. A faint smile appeared on her lips.

'She's heading to Edo.' His features tightened. 'Good riddance.' He would be able to stop feeling obliged to escort her out at night. He would no longer have to worry about her safety. He refused to acknowledge that some deeply buried part of him might miss worrying about her safety.

"Wow, she's even hotter than before!" That was Harada speaking.

"Harada-kun," Nagalura admonished, "it's really not appropriate to talk about a lady in such terms."

"Maybe she'll come out and talk to us."

"Well, I wouldn't let her talk to you, even if she did, hehehe."

"Okita! Try and stop me from getting to her, you little brat!"

"Hmph! If the top officers of the Shinsengumi are acting like this, it would be completely inadvisable for her to appear among the regular members."

"Ooh, good point there Saitou, we wouldn't want them to overstep the bounds of familiarity."

"Ahou ga."

"What, who're you calling ahou!"

"You."

As it happened, Tokio did join them in the afternoon. Matsudaira and the Shinsengumi leaders had been holding deep conversations and discussions for the entire morning, and even during their noontime meal. Tokio had excused herself after lunch, saying that she felt the need to stretch her legs. She came out to the courtyard, and bowed to the men.

"Nagakura-sama, Okita-sama, Saitou-sama, it is a pleasure to see you again."

"Tokio-san, it's great to have you here!"

Saitou narrowed his eyes in displeased surprise, as he wondered since when had Okita and Tokio been on first name terms.

"Takagi-san, it is a pleasure to see you again."

"Nagakura-sama, I trust that your shoulder has healed."

Technically, Saitou recalled, he and Tokio were not supposed to have met since April.

"Of course, you mustn't concern yourself, it's fine." Nagakura nodded towards Saitou. "No thanks to him though. I tell you, Saitou is not a very pleasant sparring partner, as he stubbornly refuses to hold back."

"Hmph."

Tokio chuckled quietly. Saitou raised an eyebrow at her.

"Takagi-san, is it not a trifle forward and untoward for a lady such as yourself to be actively engaging in such company as ours?" She had not said anything about being on a first name terms with Okita. For some reason, it irked him.

"I apologise, Saitou-sama, if I have caused any inconvenience. I had not thought that... Please excuse me for my immodesty." Was her chastened reaction an act?

"Tokio-san, there's no need to apologise to him! He's in a foul mood, as usual. And he's no person to be giving lessons in proper decorum -"

"Aah!" Okita was cut short by Harada who re-emerged from his quarters after taking a nap. Harada dashed towards them, jumped and nearly landed on a stunned Tokio. "Lady Takagi, I am Harada Sanosuke, spear master extraordinaire, protector of Kyoto and friend to all good people, at your service." He bowed low. Tokio looked taken aback, but quickly regained her composure.

"I am honoured to meet you, Harada-sama."

"Harada, you're a spear wielding menace to the people and an idiot."

Saitou's foul temper persisted for the remainder of the afternoon.

The Shinsengumi executive and their guests were seated in a wing of Mibu Temple, watching a performance of 'Funa Benkei'. It was the story about the legendary hero Prince Minamoto no Yoshitsune and his reknowned retainer Benkei. Yoshitsune and Benkei had been taking a boat back to the capital when they had been assaulted by the ghost of Yoshitsune's enemy. As swords were no use against ghosts, the only thing that saved them was Benkei's prayers and Buddhist chants. A good story, about the loyalty and good wishes of a retainer saving the life of his liege. Still, that did not prevent many among the audience from looking bored, and tired, and stiff from kneeling too long. Harada had fallen asleep within a matter of minutes, and no amount of prodding would wake him.

Saitou was surreptitiously observing Tokio, who seemed absorbed in the story. She looked every bit the intelligent girl who was partial to intellectual pursuits.She was not dull, at any rate, he conceded. In fact, he had enjoyed his previous interactions with her more than with most other people. Yes, she definitely looked intelligent. But beautiful? He compared her with the women that his colleagues were usually attracted to. In comparison, she looked simple, not made up and nothing concealed. She certainly did not try to make herself more attractive than she already was. If she could be called attractive, it was a subtle kind of allure, and she was not the obvious, conventional beauty. And yet, not only his colleagues, but random people on the street turned to look at her. There was something about her that he couldn't quite put his finger on, and he usually had an innate suspicion of things he couldn't grasp. She looked over at him, saw him looking at him, and lowered her gaze, gently smiling. He turned away.

After the performance, most of the members quickly made their excuses, glad to be able to stretch their legs, and left. Such arts were not to the tastes of all, it was true. And although some of them felt the desire to linger awhile (Nagakura for one seemed to want to make a formal farewell to Tokio, and of course to the Aizu-kou), soon there were very few of them left. Saitou too, deciding that it would not be possible to talk to Tokio on her own that night, stood up to depart. He walked out into the brisk evening air, and stalled there for a few moments. It was going to be a cold night. Just as he was about to head towards the Yagi estate, he heard someone come out of the doors behind him. He turned around. Tokio smiled gently.

"Excuse me, Saitou-sama, I did not mean to startle you. I was told to wait for our messengers..." She looked up at him.

He didn't reply. He had only met her once since that day at Kiyomizu, and they hadn't talked much then. She had seemed to think that she had talked too much the previous time. They had been content in silence.

"Thank you very much for today, to all the people of the Shinsengumi. We enjoyed ourselves immensely."

"The Shinsegumi are at the service of Aizu, Takagi-san," he replied with mock gallantry. "Or are you now referred to as 'Tokio-san'?"

Tokio smiled somewhat ruefully.

"Saitou-sama, I was not aware that I was on first name terms with Okita-sama either. Do you think it is too forward of me?"

She tried to make it a little joke. Saitou merely fixed her with a cold look.

"Please give your father my regards when you meet him in Edo."

There was the implied reproof that she had not told him she was leaving Kyoto.

"... The decision for my departure was quite sudden. I had intended to spend the New Year in Kyoto." His face only grew sterner. "... It is my younger sister, she has become quite ill... And I must leave before the snows fall."

With that, Saitou suddenly felt foolish for his attitude. Firstly, he had no logical reason to be annoyed at her, and secondly, he did not have the right.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I pray she will recover soon." The mocking lilt in his voice had disappeared. She bowed graciously, and ventured haltingly,

“... Saitou-sama, if I may be so bold, if the idea does not seem distasteful to you, perhaps I may be permitted to write to you while I am away..."

"Hmph! Surely there are other ways for you to keep a tab on my movements, without bothering me personally."

She looked down, slightly flushed. He relented immediately.

"Saitou-sama, I apologise for being difficult, it was terribly unfair of me..."

"Takagi-san, am I really that unpleasant that you feel the need to apologise to me over nothing?"

She declined to answer. Saitou gave an inaudible sigh.

"If you please, you may write to me from Edo." He could hear footsteps approaching. "It would stop me worrying about you wandering late at night, and I'm not so sure that the people of Edo are as slow as in Kyoto to spot a woman in monk's clothing."

"Ojou-sama." The call came as a man turned the corner. She waved her hand in acknowledgement.

"Saitou-sama, please excuse me, I must call my lord, we must depart." She paused before she headed back inside, and added in a low murmur, "please take care of yourself. I would prefer not to hear of you at all than to hear that you have been wounded."

Saitou quirked an eyebrow. She really needn't worry. He simply said,

"Tokio-san, safe journey to Edo."

The way Tokio smiled made his heart miss a beat, and it did not regret the loss.