Ankūro

15

"My name is unimportant. Let us simply say, I am a colleague." The man rested both hands upon the pommel of his sword. He wore the twin swords in his belt, as Kimū did. "I am here to complete a bargain. Well, two bargains, but one of those you need not worry yourself about."

"What are you talking about, you fat fool?" Kimū realised his mistake as soon as he spoke.

With a speed Kimū had never seen before, the man's long sword appeared at Kimū's throat and the attitude of the man changed. The jolly, friendly look upon the man's face replaced by one of pure focus and intent. Eyes, bright and unblinking locked with Kimū's.

"Do not mistake my demeanour, or our shared interests, as leave to insult me. Boy." The blade remained at Kimū's throat for long seconds and the man did not blink the entire time.

Kimū didn't even breathe, his stomach threatening to evacuate both his bowels and his bladder. As the blade disappeared with a swish, back into its scabbard, he felt glad that he had not shamed and embarrassed himself. Yet.

"So sorry. I forget myself. It won't happen again." He bowed low, stopping himself from dropping to his knees. "You spoke of a bargain?"

"Between you and our friend in the foothills of the mountains." The man spoke in riddles and it took Kimū some few seconds to realise the man meant Saiban, the bandit leader. "My colleagues and I are here to finish what he started, as per your agreement."

"Colleagues?" He held his head low, still, not wanting to provoke the man.

"Again, nothing for you to worry about." The man returned to his jovial demeanour, placing an arm around Kimū's shoulders. He pointed in the direction of the Ka house. "We've been watching for a few days. This old woman, this Ankūro, she is gone, yes?"

"Yes, but, I believe, she will be returning." With the man's hand gripping Kimū's shoulder, they faced the Ka house.

"Ah. When?" The man released Kimū's shoulders, fixing his thumbs into his belt, satisfied Kimū would not attempt anything foolish again.

"A few days, maybe a week. I think they've gone to the region capital. For what, I don't know." Kimū copied the man, placing his thumbs into his belt, straightening his back.

"Good. Good. Haūdo Ita's tax collectors are on the way to this village and we wouldn't want to kill the woman in their presence." The man shook his head and gave Kimū a wink. "Our master would not appreciate the complications that could cause."

"Who is your master? You call Saiban 'our friend in the mountains'. If he's not your master, who is?" The man didn't answer that question, only fixing Kimū with that unblinking stare with a small curl of a smile to his mouth.

Kimū didn't know what to think. The arrangement was, originally, made between him and Saiban, no-one else. Kimū had held up his end of the bargain, but now, it seemed, Saiban had brought other people in to complete his part. He didn't like it. The bandit leader and his people knowing Kimū's part in the raid was too many, now others knew and had come here, to the village to discuss the matter. He did not like it at all.

He wanted the old pig dead, but things began to look as though the entire situation had become far more complicated than he could ever have expected. In his eyes, he could not have made the bargain any easier. All Saiban and his barbarian fools had to do was kill one old woman. How hard could that be?

"Well, my master is now the master of our friend in the mountains. And my master is also now your master. We will honour the bargain made, but, in order for my master to justify the expense and the complications to his carefully planned life, you and Saiban owe him a great deal of recompense." The man stepped forward, his face unchanging, but Kimū somehow felt more threatened than when he had the sword blade at his throat. "Having someone serve my master, in such a position, say, as Headman of a village in Haūdo Ita's region, would be the only payment my master will accept."