Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 7

ship had moved up the coast from the main port.
    Rustling snapped Jonathon from his thoughts. He spun, his head moving in quick, short motions, his eyes darting as he searched the darkness. A horse snorted nearby…and another from behind him. Jonathon whirled around, still seeing nothing other than large boulders and the forest's edge nearby.
    His heart pounded, but he willed himself to be calm. If the samurai were watching him, he needed to appear brave. They wouldn't respect him if they saw fear in him.
    He straightened his posture and lifted his chin, calling out, "Is someone there?"
    Only the rhythmic lapping of the waves against the shore answered him. He glanced back to the boat, seeing the sailors fidgeting and shifting with unease. He flicked a hand toward them. "You may return to the ship."
    One of them visibly startled. "But, sir, you'll have no way back."
    Jonathon smiled, though he knew the sailors couldn't see it in the dark. "There's no way back for me regardless. Go, and be safe."
    Both men nodded and began pushing to boat back out to sea, jumping in and rowing with more vigor than before.
    Jonathon hoisted up his satchel. As his watchers didn't seem eager to make contact and he was in no mood to wait all night, he decided he would start in the direction of the village and port. Maybe he would meet his escorts…
    A shadow emerged from between two massive boulders, a man on foot leading a horse. Another shadow manifested behind him, two more started out of the forest. Before Jonathon had time to realize what was happening, he was surrounded by four men, five horses. All feelings of fear fled, replaced by wonder as he gazed upon the samurai.
    They were magnificent. They weren't large men, the tallest about his own modest height, but the air around them vibrated with a sense of control and strength. He never imagined it would be possible for any kind of warrior, in any culture, to appear elegant, and yet that's exactly how the samurai looked. They were all clean shaven, their hair perfectly coiffed in topknots. Of the four, only one had his crown shaven and he appeared to be the oldest. It wasn't that the others hadn't yet reached manhood. More that as Mr. Jenkins had informed him, the samurai wore their hair in various different styles of topknots, and in recent years, not as many shaved their crowns as older tradition dictated.
    Each was dressed in a kimono and the flowing hakama for their trousers. On each haori , the long coat over their kimono, Jonathon caught sight of what Mr. Jenkins told him to watch out for in identifying his escorts; the symbol of Lord Takezaki, two cranes, their wings outstretched, touching wingtip to wingtip in forming a circle.
    For as immaculate as their clothing was, what captured Jonathon's attention most were the two swords each samurai wore on his left hip, pushed through the obi , the sash around their waist. Mr. Jenkins had explained at length to him about the swords and how they were the most treasured possession of any true samurai.
    Jonathon knew he should have some fear of these fierce warriors, and yet he couldn't bring himself to be anything but fascinated. He wanted to speak to them, to learn all there was about them and their culture.
    And yet, from how they were looking upon him, they didn't seem to share his sense of interest.
    Jonathon realized he needed to make the first move. As Mr. Jenkins informed him, he should show absolute respect toward them. He focused on the oldest, seeming in the middle to latter half of his fourth decade.
    Jonathon bowed low to him, speaking in Japanese, "I'm Jonathon Addison. It's an honor to be in your presence. I am here to meet your master, Lord Takezaki Kazuhiro."
    Silence replied.
    Jonathon stayed bowing. Was his pronunciation that bad? Were they unable to understand him? Had he used a wrong word and just insulted them? Why weren't they bowing back? Mr. Jenkins told him to bow was a sign of respect, and he was bowing very deeply…
    Jonathon swallowed hard as the realization came to him. They weren't bowing to him because they didn't respect him. They weren't speaking because they found his very presence offensive. In meeting him, they were merely following the orders of their lord. Doing their duty as any true samurai would. They had nothing personally invested in him. If they wanted, they could kill him and tell their lord he'd never even arrived.
    He slowly straightened. If he was to have a sword meet his neck, he'd