When The Dog Bites
"[I thought I said for you to clean him up, why is his hair still so long?]" demanded Lord Yabushige as he gestured to Severus, who's hair was just as long as it had been when he had first laid eyes upon the barbarian.
"[We did try, Lord Yabushige.]" stated one of his staff with an apologetic bow. "[But his hair... it grows so quickly. Our scissors are blunt.]"
Pushing the man out of the way, he grabbed the white man's hair at the base of his neck and, removing his knife, he ordered "[Be still, barbarian.]" And with a sawing motion, he cut straight through hair. "[There!]" He held up the ponytail and showed it to his staff.
"[Lord, look!]" gasped another, pointing over Lord Yabushige's shoulder.
Confused, Yabushige turned and dropped his knife which fell to the ground, narrowly missing his foot. Like a black waterfall, the barbarian's grew back just as long as before. Yabushige looked at the length of black hair in his hand and then back at the new growth of hair. "[Witchcraft?]" he mumbled to himself. He dropped the hair and picked up and put away his knife. He circled round and faced the barbarian, staring into his dark eyes.
"[Lord Yabushige, Lord Omi!]" called a messenger as the charged up the hilly path. "[Lord Hiromatsu is here, he wishes to see you both.]"
The colour drained from Yabushige's face and then turning to his men, he quietly ordered, "[Hide the barbarian.]"
His men shifted into position, blocking the white man from view as Lord Yabushige brushed down his front and composed himself before heading with his nephew down to the shore.
"[Lord Hiromatsu, what an honor to have you visit us.]" Yabushige smiled. "[What brings you to Ajiro?]"
"[Our Lord was informed that you have captured a barbarian ship?]" Lord Hiromatsu stated firmly, taking Yabushige by surprise.
"[Ah, yes. We captured the ship and it's crew which is why it's important that we remain here in Ajiro for the time being.]" Yabushige said, clapping his hands together.
"[And what of the canons and guns?]" Hiromatsu asked and when Yabushige didn't answer, he clarified, "[I was told there are three hundred and fifty muskets and ten cannons, what of those?]"
"[Yes, they were brought ashore for safekeeping.]" Yabushige nodded.
"[Oh good and what about the crates of gold and silver?]"
"[Also secured away, of course.]"
"[Of course, Lord Toranaga will be pleased with your diligence and as regent in charge of foreign affairs, he will be taking the ship and it's cargo, naturally.]" Hiromatsu informed Yabushige. "[Or are you not as loyal to our Lord as you claim?]" The older warrior's hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"[Naturally, we had planned to give it to Lord Toranaga as a surprise gift.]" Yabushige lied with a large grin.
"[Good, his Lordship will be happy to hear it.]" Hiromatsu hummed. "[Also while I am here, Lord Toranaga has asked that I bring him one of the barbarians. A pale-faced man with long black hair and dark eyes?]"
"[Oh well, you know we captured several barbarians, they all more or less look the same.]" Yabushige laughed with a shrug. "[We'd be happy to show you the hold where they're being kept, perhaps he's in there?]"
Hiromatsu stared past Yabushige and shook his head. "[No that wont be necessary.]" He then began to walk up the path, followed by his own soldier and, Yabushige reluctantly following after the older samurai. "[Move.]" Hiromatsu demanded to Omi's soldier, who moved to the side.
-
Severus looked to the older man as he eyed him up and down before nodding. "[He looks like the man Toranaga sent me to retrieve.]"
"[With all due respect Lord Hiromatsu, how do you know this barbarian is the right one?]" Yabushige prompted.
At this the old samurai reached into his kimono and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Unfolding it, he held it up side by side with the barbarian. And to Yabushige's disbelief, the portrait on the paper was a perfect match.
Hiromatsu then reached out and grabbed Severus' wrist, pushing up the sleeve and there on his skin was the tattoo. "[This is the one.]" Hiromatsu nodded and gestured to his men, who stepped forwards and each taking the barbarian by an upper arm, they walked with him down to the boats. "[Lord Toranaga will be very please to know that the ship and it's cargo are safely on their way.]"
"[Anything for our Lord.]" Yabushige lied with a bow and smile.
"[Of course, of course.]" Hiromatsu hummed and turning, he returned to the docks to wait for the cargo and ship to be brought over and readied for their voyage.
-
Severus was placed into a large, man powered boat, a soldier on either side of him. His neck itched from his impromptu haircut. He hadn't intended to use his magic, hence the "accidental" in accidental magic. He had many years ago, learned to curb that part of him, to better control his magic. However, after months without an outlet, least he be found out by the crew, it had built up. He was only grateful it had come out in a more benign way.
He found Yabushige's reaction to him very interesting. Not quiet afraid but more cautious and curious. He also wasn't ignorant to the fact that the man had tried to hide him away from Hiromatsu. Like a child trying to keep a secret from their parent. He wondered what Yabushige had had planned for him? On the outside the man seamed calm and even jovial at times but, Severus didn't need to scratch the surface to see the volatile thoughts that mixed with the mundane. Like planning a way to murder someone in one breath, and wondering what he was going to have for dinner in another. The man worried but fascinated him.
-
"[He knew about everything, the ship, gold, cannons and even the barbarian?]" Yabushige whispered to his nephew. "[There's a spy here. I'd look for them myself but Hiromatsu says that I must sail with him to Edo.]"
"[I will have my men root out this spy in your absence, uncle.]" Omi stated loyally.
"[Good. When you find them, keep them safe for me.]" Yabushige nodded, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. "[I'd like to interrogate them personally.]"
-
Lord Yoshii Toranaga gently caressed the pigeon's feathers and nodded, this one was ready for flight. Gently he secured his message to it's leg and, holding it out, he watched as it took flight.
He turned as he heard the gentle creak of the floorboards and was greeted by his loyal friend, Lord Toda Hiromatsu.
"[Lord Toranaga, I have returned from Ajiro with the ship and it's cargo all accounted for.]" Hirmatsu bowed as he joined his friend in the loft.
"[Good.]" Toranaga nodded as he carefully inspected another pigeon. "[And the pale-faced barbarian?]"
"[Just as Madam Ito described.]" Hiromatsu informed him. "[My men are guarding him.]"
Toranaga hummed scratching the pigeon's head, who cooed softly. "[Do you remember when we first met Madam Ito?]"
At this Hiromatsu smirked, "[I remember. You were only a boy still when she pledged her allegiance to you.]"
"[She always had ink on her fingers from her drawings.]" Toranaga mused. "[I wonder if she still does?]" Carefully he placed the pigeon back into it's roost. "[Summon the priest, I will need him to act as translator for the barbarian.]"
"[Right away, my Lord.]" Hiromatsu agreed and left Toranaga in search of a messenger.
-
Severus was brought in front of a small group of well dressed Japanese men and one women. It was clear to him by the glances and shifting looks that the man seated in the center was the most important figure there. Dressed in gold and black robes, the man sat tall and watched Severus with unflinching eyes.
The doors on his left slid open and in stepped a catholic priest, who bowed and walking behind Severus, he knelt down on his right side. "My name is Father Martin Alvito, I have been asked to act as your translator by Lord Toranaga. Are you able to speak in Portuguese?"
"I speak Portuguese." Severus nodded watching the priest carefully. Strictly speaking Severus knew several languages as he found it important for spell casting and construction. A misplaced or mistranslated word could cause an inferno when you wanted to simply summon an item to your side.
"[I should be able to translate for him effectively, Lord Toranaga.]" the priest informed the man in the center.
"[Good.]" Toranaga spoke, twirling his closed fan in hand. "[I hope you do not appose to Lady Mariko's presence here? She wished to practice her Portuguese and what better way than to listen to a conversation."
"[Not at all, Lord Toranaga.]" Alvito smiled but Severus could tell from the man's thoughts that had wished that the women had not been present as he had not come with charitable intentions towards him. But because of this, the priest reevaluated his position, causing Severus to smirk. As long as the women sat behind Toranaga was present, he wouldn't dare to mistranslate his words.
"[Ask the barbarian: why he has come to Japan?]" Toranage prompted. "[And where did he come from?]"
"Lord Toranaga asks: where did you come from? And also, why did you come here to Japan?" Alvito translated.
"I come from England, an island Kingdom north of Portugal." Severus explained. "It was not the ships original intent to arrive in Japan. We were suppose to stop near South America but we got caught in a furious storm. And a few days later our pilot died and a week later our captain also died. We were adrift for weeks, maybe months at the mercy of the seas. By the grace of God, we somehow drifted here. That's all I know. All the people who could tell you more, are already dead I'm afraid."
The priest relayed Severus' message to the Japanese Lord, who nodded along as he absorbed his words. "[Ask him: why he was traveling to South America in the first place?]" Toranaga questioned.
"His Lordship wishes to know why you wanted to go to South America?" The priest said.
Severus reached deep inside his front robe pocket and pulled out a notebook which he gently set down in front of himself. Turning it towards Toranaga, he opened it to reveal his notes. "I had hoped to expand my research, knowledge and understanding of the world."
A man stepped forwards and gingerly lifted the book from the floor and presented it to Toranaga. Severus watched unsure as the older man carefully leafed through his book. He then closed the book and handed it back to the man but instead of giving it back to Severus, it was presented to the woman. "Lord Toranaga wishes for you book to be copied and translated into Japanese so that he may read it himself."
"I'd rather keep my notes but if his Lordship wishes to read it, I have nothing to hide." Severus stated and pointing to the book he added, "I ask that you treat that book like your scriptures. It may not hold importance to you but the research in there, is over a decades' worth of work."
"Lord Toranaga promises to take great care with your research." the priest agreed.
-
Lord Toranaga had found the notebook of interest. While he was unable to read the language it was written in, the diagrams were well drawn with illustrations and annotated dissections of many different things. From plants to animals and even things he had never witnessed before. He had many questions for the barbarian but with the priest present, he kept them close to his chest for a later date. He would only prob the surface for now. "[Ask him: what his plans are now that he is in Japan?]"
"His Lordship wishes to know what your plans are now that you are in Japan?"
"That would be up to the discretion of his Lordship."
Lord Toranaga hummed at this with a steady nod. His behavior wasn't typical of the usual caliber of barbarian, he had spoken with. He speech was quieter, his answers were almost completely passive but Toranaga could tell that the man was shielding something away from view. It was subtle and undetectable to the untrained eye but, he was hiding something. And the way he spoke to him, he understood how to compose his sentences for a person of higher standing. A learned behavior which informed Toranaga's next question. "[Ask him: if he has served under other Lords before coming here?]"
"He wishes to know if you have served a master before coming to Japan?"
At this question, Severus sat up straight and met the Lord's eyes with his own. "Two. The first was a tyrant and monster. He killed many innocent people: men, women, children, babies, his own men. There was no taboo that was off the table, torture, murder. He even tortured his own men routinely as to reinforce their loyalty to him."
"Did he torture you?"
Toranaga watched as his question was translated and spotted it. It was quick and easily unnoticeable but the barbarian's eye twitched. He didn't need the priest to translate the answer to know that it was a yes.
"Yes, it was expected of me. Although, I saw less of his sadism than others. I kept my head down and gave him just enough information to satisfy him."
"But your loyalty changed?"
"I found someone who needed me and I filled that need. That's all." Severus stated simply. "People speak of loyalty but: If you kick a dog, should you be surprised when it bites you?"
Toranaga watched the other man carefully and asked his finale question he required translating, "[If I was your master and ordered you to die, would you hesitate?]"
Severus looked at the priest and prompted, "What did he say?"
The priest looked to be trying to find the right words for a moment before translating, "He asks that if he was your master and he gave you the order to commit suicide, would you do it straight away or would you pause before doing so?"
Severus thought about it for a moment and then answered, "If his Lordship was my master and he ordered me to kill myself, I would hesitate only to ask his permission to write my last will and testimony before ending my own life."
As the priest translated for Lord Toranaga, a smirk crossed the older man's face as mutual understanding stretched out between himself and the barbarian.