Kaze had found the child.
He wished he had brought his sword with him-although he knew that he would have had to surrender his sword at the door of the brothel-just so it would be nearby in case he decided to abandon his plan and cut his way out. Kaze knew that there were probably several thugs someplace in the house, but he didn’t care. No one would stop him from saving this child, now that he knew she was here.
Kiku-chan took a shakuhachi, a bamboo flute, from her obi sash and brought it to her lips. She started to play. It was a slow, plaintive melody that carried across the courtyard with surprising power. The music filled the space and spilled out of the top of the courtyard and into the open sky. Once again, Kaze’s breath caught.
It was the same melody Kaze had faintly heard that night in the theater. Slow, haunting, ineffably sad. Through that music, floating across the roofs until it barely reached the theater on the other side of the block, Kaze had made contact with the daughter of the Lady and had not even realized it. Tears formed in his eyes.
Kiku-chan continued her playing for several minutes; then she put her flute back into her obi sash, gave a deep bow to the men on the veranda, and went back into her room. Jitotenno slid the screen back into place.
That was the signal for the other children to leave the courtyard and line up on the opposite veranda, where they could easily be selected by the guests. Kaze glanced over and saw that, despite the smiles plastered on their faces, the eyes of the children were apprehensive and even fearful.
Jitotenno walked over to the four men and bowed deeply. “I hope you have seen someone who will make your stay in our house a little more pleasant,” she said.
“I’ll take the flute player,” one man said immediately.
Jitotenno bowed again. “Kiku-chan, because of her great beauty and refinement, costs four times the amount of the other girls available.”
“I’ll still take her,” the man said.
“I’ll double it,” Kaze spoke up.
Jitotenno’s eyes widened slightly; then she looked at the first man.
“If you give me credit, I will pay a bit more,” he said.
Kaze took out his money pouch and jingled it. He would normally never do something as crude as this, but he felt in this company the gesture was suitable.
At the promise of so much cash, Jitotenno said to the first pedophile, “I will let you stay with one of the other girls at a discount, and the next time you visit us, I will make sure you spend the night with Kiku-chan. I hope that is satisfactory. After all, Kiku-chan is not a virgin, despite her virginal appearance, so you will not lose any advantage by letting this gentleman spend tonight with her. In fact, you will have your pleasure with both Kiku-chan and another of these adorable children, and at a substantial savings. I hope this will be acceptable?”
The man, not liking the arrangement but seeing the logic of it, grunted his assent to the offer.
“Good. Let me take this esteemed gentleman to Kiku-chan, and then I will return to see what girl or boy you other gentlemen have chosen to take your pleasure with.”
Kaze stood, and Jitotenno led him around the courtyard to Kiku-chan’s door. She slid open the door. In the room, lit by two paper lanterns, a futon was already spread on the tatami mats and a small hibachi with a pot of water and several flasks of sakè stood next to it. Kiku-chan sat on the futon, her hands in her lap, looking very small and vulnerable. She looked up at the opening of the door, her face registering resignation that she had a “guest” for the night, and not really caring who the guest was.
“For your safety, esteemed gentleman, we have guards who will watch the door all night.” This was a warning, so that Kaze wouldn’t try to sneak out without paying when he was done. “You can do whatever you like with the child tonight. Please excuse me for saying this, but if you cripple or kill the child, you will have to pay us for either the loss of her services or blood money. Otherwise, please enjoy her.” She ushered Kaze into the room and slid the door closed behind him.
Kiku-chan watched him closely. She had gone beyond the point of being wary with the guests, and was simply trying to see how rough he might be with her.
Kaze sat down on the tatami, a distance far enough away that he thought she might feel safe.
“Do you want some sakè?” she said.
“No.”
She sat silently, waiting for what would occur next.
“Do you remember me, Kiku-chan?”
“Have I entertained you before?”
“No. From before you were Kiku-chan.” Kaze spoke her real name. “From the time you were a child with your mother.”
She looked surprised at Kaze’s statement, but said, “I am Kiku-chan. That girl you named is dead. Her mother is dead. All her clan is dead. She has no one. Kiku-chan is at least alive, even though she has no one, too.”
“That’s not true, Kiku-chan. You have me. I was sent by your mother to find you.”
“My mother is dead!”
“Yes, I know that. I was with her when she died. Before she died, she told me to find you and rescue you.”
Now the child looked wary. She had been told so many lies in recent years that she knew not to believe this one.
“Yes. It’s true. I will get you out of here.”
“How?”
“I can’t tell you that. But it will be soon. Trust me.”
Kiku-chan’s face clearly showed she didn’t trust anyone.
“Why don’t you try to sleep?” Kaze suggested. “Perhaps something will happen tomorrow.”
With a knowing look, the little girl stood up and started removing her fancy kimono. “Keep your inner kimono on,” Kaze said. Kiku-chan looked puzzled, but did as she was ordered. When she was done removing the elaborate obi, the fancy kimono, and the decorative pins from her hair, Kaze said, “Now sleep. Don’t worry. No one is going to touch or harm you tonight.”
Like an automaton, the young girl got under the futon cover, with her head on the small wooden pillow-block that was placed next to a full-sized, adult pillow block. Kaze could see a tension in her neck and shoulders, and from her breathing he could tell she was not really asleep. He wondered if she expected him to fondle and molest her in her sleep, and also wondered what manner of man would do such a thing. Eventually, as Kaze stood vigil watching her, Kiku-chan’s breathing became more regular, and the child finally fell into slumber.
Once, during the night, the child woke with a cry, her arms flailing, as if she were trying to beat someone back. Kaze, who had not slept, decided it would be best for him to stay where he was and not to try to touch or comfort her. She sat up and looked around, and upon seeing Kaze, fear briefly flashed across her face, until she remembered who he was. Then she regained her icy composure. Without a word, she lay down and closed her eyes again.
In the morning, the child awoke and sat up, looking at Kaze again with those wide, distrustful eyes. In his years of wandering, Kaze had concentrated his thoughts on his search for the child. He had not given consideration to what would happen when he found her. Partly this was because he was not sure he would find her. He could easily imagine wandering the length and breadth of Japan without finding her, until he became too enfeebled by age or he was killed. Partly it was because it was simply not in his nature to worry about endless possibilities that might not come to pass. He did think about future strategy, but in the context of a warrior planning a campaign, not as a man enumerating the possibilities of the future. Now that he had found the child, Kaze realized that the unfolding possibilities of the future could become a reality, and he would have to cope with the novel burden of protecting and healing a damaged child.