Sorry for the wait Here is Chapter 10 hope you enjoy 3

Glistening bright sunlight filled the bedroom in rich streams as Kanae threw back the heavy drapes. Waking slowly, Kyoko blinked and shaded her tear-swollen eyes from the blinding brilliance, then huddled deeper into the soft warmth of the comforters, not yet ready to face another day as the wife of Lord Hizuri.

"The master is coming up to see you, My Lady," Kanae announced with gentle but unmistakably stern urgency. "And I know you will be wanting to look your best for him."

Kyoko groaned her rebellion and passionately shook her head beneath the covers. At the moment, crooked teeth and a wart at the end of her nose would have better suited her needs, since winning Lord Hizuri's approval was the farthermost thing from what she wanted. Indeed, she would have rather not have attracted his attention at all, and she could see no need to arouse his interest beyond what it already was.

"Come now, My Lady," Kanae coaxed. "You are much too beautiful to be hiding it, especially from the master. Mark my words. You will come to rue the day you were less than proper."

Kyoko threw the covers off and sat up, turning a worried face towards the woman. "I don't suppose you would know," She began in an anxious rush, "If Lord Hizuri has ever displayed a tendency towards violence?"

Laughter bubbled from Kanae and she looked towards Kyoko with a raised eyebrow after she was finished, thinking Kyoko was joking but saw she wasn't and quickly schooled her expression back into the serious form it had been. "The Hizuri's have always been most gentle with their women and even overly protective of them. You have nothing to fear from him, My Lady. But if your wise" she looked directly into the wide, bright topaz eyes as she stressed the word, "You will treat him with reasonable regard and respect and actually have a care for his comfort. He is a wealthy man... beyond most lords... and..."

"I care not a bit for his wealth!" Kyoko stressed as she fell back onto the bed. "All I ever wanted was a reasonable, gentle husband, a man I could learn to love. Not one who frightens me with his mere presence."

"The fear will pass, My Lady," Kanae rolled her eyes at her Lady's drama and encouraged gently. "Until then, it's a good idea to look you best in every situation, otherwise one day you'll regret it." She poured water into the washbasin, dipped a cloth into it, and after wringing it out, handed it to her young mistress. "For your eyes, to take the tiredness from them."

A few moments later, when the Lord of Hizuri hall entered into the chamber with his limping gait, no evidence of Kyoko's restless night remained. Hair brushed to a lustrous sheen, a deep red long sleeved velvet dress on (she made sure to choose one with a higher collar after the night before's awful choice), and temples and wrists touched with rose scented oil, she was ready to solicit any man's approval. Kyoko laid blame to Kanae's gentle but unwavering insistence, for the head housekeeper had hovered over Maria's shoulder to see the toilette was accomplished without delay, so they don't keep the master waiting. The more Kyoko watched Maria however she couldn't help but think that there was more to the girl than she had first thought, Maria was much too beautiful and acted too highborn to be just a maid. She put that thought out of her head as her Lord husband worked through the door, but made a side note to ask about Maria at a later date.

Pleased with the results, Kanae gave a last glance toward the Lordly couple before hurriedly making her departure, pushing Maria ahead of her and leaving Lord Hizuri alone with his young bride.

"Good morning, Madam," the voice sighed through the openings of the mask.

A stiff-necked nod gave evidence of Kyoko's unflagging weariness. "My Lord."

His tine softened with humor. "You seem to have suffered no ill-effects from your first night here as mistress of the manor."

A brief shrug lifted her shoulders. "Maria is quite talented... and Kanae very persistent."

"You must forgive Kanae, my dear. She is absolutely loyal to the family, and she sees in you a hope for its continuation. Indeed, she is anxious for us to produce an heir."

Kyoko had the feeling he was laughing at her, but she could find no reason for his amusement. The subject was one she wished dearly to avoid. Her silence spoke for itself as she maintained her cool disinterest. Lord Hizuri however was undismayed.

"I have no preference myself. A girl with her mother's eyes would suit just as well.'

Moving to stand near the dressing table, Kyoko cast a glance at him as she rearranged the crystal vials. "And what of a son, My Lord? If he was to resemble his father what would he look like."

"You have no need to fear, my dear, a man's scars do not carry to his offspring."

She hadn't meant it that way she was generally curious since he didn't let the matter of children drop, but it looked like he took no offense to the misunderstanding so she breathed a halting sigh of relief but feeling the cage of despair setting in she asked, "Is that why you bought me? To carry on the family Line?"

"As I've told you before, Madam, I purchased you because I wanted you. Everything else is of secondary importance. The children you bear will undoubtedly be treasured because you will be the mother. Children by another woman might not be so dear. You are, My Lovely Kyoko, the one who has haunted my thoughts and dreams."

"Am I, then, to be your prisoner here?"

"You will be nothing of the sort, Madam. I assure you of that. If you desire an outing, you have only to inform me or one of our servants, and the coach will be provided for you. If you enjoy riding, there is a fine mare with white stockings and good temperament in the stables. The stable hand will more than happy to saddle her for you. There is, however, a thing I would caution you about. Without a proper escort it would not be advisable to wander any great distance. I plead caution in traveling beyond the immediate area of the manor. For your own safety, Madam, I urge this."

"I have heard tales of these miscreants roaming this north country."

"It is my wish, Madam, that you never meet to ones who prey upon the countryside."

Kyoko looked pointedly at him. "Have you met them, My Lord."

"It was not the Scots who torched Hizuri Hall, I assure you. Since my life may depend upon caution, I have learned to be cautious of many."

Beneath the blank stare of the mask, she lowered her gaze and spoke in a low voice. "I am curious to know why the manor was burned. If it was deliberate, can you tell me the reason?"

"Madam, there is not much I know about the ones responsible, but I do know that their instinct for survival is great. Like a pack of wolves, they strike out at anything that threatens them."

"Did you threaten their existence?"

"My very presence is a threat to them."

Her brow furrowed slightly with worry. "Then surely they'll try again."

He nodded in cold agreement. "Aye, but they'll not catch me unaware."

"You seem quite certain of that."

"Madam, of all people, you should be the one to realize that I leave as little as possible to chance."

The next several days dragged by as if they were weighted with heavy chains, and Kyoko found no ease for her fear of Lord Hizuri. When he walked the dark halls of the manor with that halting gait, her attention froze as she waited and listened. Yet as threatening as that sound was, she learned to be wary of the silence even more. For one so obviously hampered, Lord Hizuri seemed to be able to move about at times without the slightest whisper of movement, like a ghost or a shadow in the night. And it was indeed at night when her weariness grew tenfold, for she would suddenly find him in the room, that blank, expressionless mask turned toward her without even a slight glimmer behind the mask.

Though the door to her bedchamber had a stout and sturdy lock, she had not found the courage to test it or his command, lest she face the wrath of her husband for barring the door against him. She quickly learned that having Maria in the room as well was no deterrent either, for with a slight gesture of his gloved hand he would dismiss the girl, and in quick obedience Maria would abandon her mistress to whatever fate the master intended.

While he was in the room, Kyoko was tormented by uncertainty. He had given his word only to the limit of his restraint. If he were to be pressed beyond that, she could find herself reluctantly being the target of said desires.

When the moment came when she found him gone, no longer standing in the shadows, no longer sitting in his chair, a feeling of great relief washed over her. She had survived another night; she would see another day. Yet, like a thief in the back of her mind, there was a thought that robbed her of peace. It was the sure knowledge that at some point, one day, one night the debt would be called to be filled, and she would be required to pay in full.

A week had not passed, when Kanae came to fetch the empty morning meal tray, bringing with her a summons from Lord Hizuri, bidding his Lady to join him in the great chamber. Kyoko accepted the letter with a low, inarticulate murmur of acknowledgement.

Pausing a moment at the entry to the great chamber, she drew in a deep breath and tried to collect herself. She was not at all sure she had succeeded when she passed through the arched doorway and stepped into the beast's lair. Lord Hizuri was standing before the hearth with an arm braced across the back of a chair. His towering height did not diminish as she got closer.

Though its cloth was velvet and the neckline high, her dress seemed inadequate beneath his close regard, but she had learned in their brief marriage that he did not miss an opportunity to watch her or admire what he had claimed as his. She sank into the chair that was facing him. Whatever courage she had managed to muster had dwindled to little more than a troubled apprehension. She made a play of smoothing her dress to keep from looking at him, but he was patient, and finally there was nothing left to do but raise her gaze to the blank staring mask.

"There are some things that need to be purchased from Wirkinton, Madam," he stated in his strange, low, whispery voice, "and I thought you might enjoy the outing. I have asked Kanae to go with you."

"Will you not be going also, My Lord?" Kyoko asked barely managing to control the note of hope in her voice.

"I have other business to attend to. I shall not be able to accompany you."

"What am I supposed to do while visiting Wirkinton?"

"Why, Madam, I expect you to spend the day shopping for whatever you will," he answered in a tine of mild surprise. He tossed a small leather purse onto the table beside her, where it landed with a solid "thunk" that betrayed its contents. "This should suffice for the day. If there is something of greater value you desire, inform your driver, Hikaru, so he can mark it and return for it later."

"I'm sure this will be more than enough, My Lord," Kyoko assured his softly, picking up the pouch.

"Then I will let you be on your way. Kanae is no doubt eager to get started." He paused a long moment before adding, "I will assume that you will be considerate of Kanae and give her no anxious moments..."

"My Lord?" Kyoko's tone was one of confusion.

"Kanae will feel remiss in her duties should something go awry."

Kyoko felt his pointed stare and lowered her eyes as a blush deepened the hue of her cheeks. The fact that the notion of running away had flitted more than once through her thoughts made it difficult to meet his gaze and pretend innocence. She nodded slightly, "She'll have no reason to worry, My Lord. I shall not wonder off on my own."

"Good." He moved with his awkward gait to the fireplace and stood staring down into the flames a long moment before he faced her again. From behind the slashed in the mask his eyes seemed to glimmer as he spoke. "I will be awaiting your return, Madam."

Hesitantly she rose to her feet. "Then I am free to go?"

He dipped his hooded head in a nod. "Of course, Madam."

The thrill of being set free for a day surged through Kyoko, and it was hard to hold her steps to a dignified walk. Her feet carried her quickly across the room, leaving the Master of Hizuri Hall staring silently after her.

With something like a child's eagerness, Kyoko settled back against the plush carriage seats and snuggled her velvet cloak close about her smiling face (She briefly noticed that this wasn't the magnificent black carriage from before, but a slightly smaller more informal carriage that was still more than fit for a Lady of a noble house). Kanae's presence reminded her that she was not entirely free, but the woman's happy chatter helped liven the journey. After almost a week of marriage, to be allowed to escape, however briefly, was like a reprieve from hell. Not that Lord Hizuri had treated her unkindly. Indeed, despite his terrifying appearance, he had been most gentlemanly. Still, there had been times when she had almost felt as if she had been confined to a dungeon and was only waiting for the torture to begin. It had been a strained, tense week, but now, at least for a few hours, she could relax without the threat of his presence.

The coach eased through the narrow streets of Wirkinton, working its way to the Farthingale Inn, where it halted. There, while the ladies enjoyed a light meal and visited the nearby shops, Hikaru would remain and wait for the ladies to return to the carriage and begin the way home.

Once fortified with warm tea and full belly, Kyoko inspected the list of goods that were to be purchased, then with Kanae at her side promptly set to the task. In the confident manner of a mistress of a great house, she went to different stalls and shops, inspected the items, and bargained for the best prices until the merchants begged for mercy. She listened patiently as they praised their goods. Then unmoved, she declared that unless the price was fair, she would go elsewhere, after which they heaved disappointed sighs and gave in, unwilling to see even the smallest profit slip through their fingers. Kanae stood back with a pleased smile, assured that this was indeed a mistress who would do both her husband and Kanae herself proud.

The thought of escape war far from Kyoko's mind when she asked Kanae to buy fresh fruit and at the market down the street while she looked for a Copper-smith where she would acquire a pot for the kitchen. Kanae did hesitate but hastened off. Kyoko readjusted the several packages she carried before setting off on her errand.

She was not immediately successful in her quest and was contemplating a return to the coach to rid herself of her burdens when from a nearby shop several overdressed and overexposed strumpets bustled onto the cobbled thoroughfare. Kyoko struggled with her packages to avoid the oversize skirts and petticoats and the dangerous ribs and tips of the parasols that seemed to jab her at every opportunity. Before the women could move on, a group of seamen descended upon them, and to her horror Kyoko found herself seized from behind. The bundles of merchandise fell to the ground, and she was hauled around to face the bearded man whose shape and size reminded her of a walrus.

"Ooooiiee, girlie! Ye're a fine one, ye are. Ain't never seen such a whore like ye before."

"Let me go!" Kyoko gasped. She struggled in earnest to preserve her dignity while avoiding the ruddy, puckered lips that eagerly sought her mouth. His breath, sour with the stench of strong ale, emitted from a gasping leer that grew wider as his brawny hands rudely pawed her back and brought her ever nearer to that broad, whiskered face.

"Unhand me!" Kyoko shouted and braced her arm against the man's throat, trying to get some leverage in order to gain her freedom. The man howled with laughter and easily swept her arm aside. His embrace tightened about her, squeezing the breath from her, and Kyoko shivered in revulsion as his slobbering wet lips touched her cheek and slid downward along her throat.

"Ye smell sweet as sin, girlie," he chortled.

Suddenly a large presence loomed close behind them, and Kyoko looked up to find Ren Tsuruga standing at the man's elbow. At her gasp the seaman that was manhandling her glanced around.

" 'Oo's this now?" He questioned sneeringly. "Some dandy what's got his eye on me girlie? Go an' get yer own, mate. This one's mine."

A mildly tolerant smile appeared lightly on the handsome face, but the glint in the green eyes was hard as steel. "If you do not choose to make mourners of your friends today, my good man, I suggest you promptly release the Lady," he warned in a mild admonishing tone. "The Master of Hizuri Hall would take it quite personally, if any harm came to his Lady."

The seaman's jaw slowly sagged, betraying his confusion. He stared at the other as if wondering whether to take him seriously or not.

"The Master of Hizuri Hall? Have you not heard of him?" Ren questioned in chiding amazement.

"Naugh!" The great lummox replied roughly.

"The ghost of Hizuri Hall some call him," Ren obligingly explained. "Burned to a crisp, others have said, but he still lives. The way the rumors have been flying about, you're either deaf or a stranger to these parts if you have not heard of him. Were I you, I would take extreme care to treat his Lady gently," Ren's eyes hardened further as he continued. "Else you might shortly regret it."

The seaman hastened to excuse his error. "I didn't know the lil' filly was someone's missus. The boys and me were only 'avin' a bit o' fun." He set Kyoko away from him and in an anxious scramble, replaced the packages that had fallen to the ground back in her arms. "No harm done, ye see."

"if that is the case, perhaps Lord Hizuri will be lenient with you." Ren raised a wondering brow to Kyoko, who reddened deeply beneath his bold inspection. "None the worse for wear, it seems." He presented his arm gallantly. "Madam, may I escort you from this rowdy bunch and see you safely away?"

Kyoko ignored his offer and walked stiffly through the gawking men and women, who opened a path for her. Ren followed, slapping his riding crop casually against his leg as he observed the indignant swing of her skirts. He grinned broadly and quickened his pace, catching up with her and matching his long stride to her brisk, angry step.

"You have some nerve," she snapped, casting an indignant glare at him.

"My Lady?" His tone questioned, but his eyes shone with suppressed humor.

"Mindlessly spilling tales about my husband that aren't true!" She accused, then paused to rearrange several of the parcels she carried.

"May I offer some assistance with those things?" He inquired.

"Indeed not!" She answered sharply, then gasped in dismay when a smaller one slipped from her grasp.

Deftly Ren caught the package in midair. Curious, he brought it to his nose as it had a rather strong scent, then cocked a dubious brow at her. "Perfume for my Lady?"

Kyoko snatched it from him. "Spices for the kitchen... if you must know, Mr. Tsuruga."

"That's reassuring," he replied. "The scent was rather pungent, nothing like your usual sweet fragrance."

"We are discussing my husband," Kyoko reminded him pertly.

"And so is everybody else. Indeed, the merest mention of him is likely to send a shiver of fear through even the strongest of hearts."

"And you do a lot to fan the flames with such foolish talk of ghosts and devils."

"I only meant to convince the seaman to free you so that there would be no shedding of blood. I gained your disfavor by defending myself against your brother. To avoid any further wounding of my reputation, this time I simply used gentle words and warnings. Did I make a mistake? Would you have seen me give the man his due and deal him a death blow?"

"Of course not!" Kyoko exclaimed in frustration.

Amused by her irritation, Ren teased, "Pardon me for not playing the smitten suitor and defending you with a sword in my hand." He glanced about as if searching for someone. "I'd have thought your husband would still be panting about your skirts. Where is that man anyway?"

"He... didn't come with me," Kyoko answered haltingly.

"Indeed?" Ren's tone held a strong, undisguised note of hope as he turned to gaze at her expectantly.

"He had business elsewhere," she hurried to explain.

"And do I dare hope that you have come unescorted?" He asked eagerly.

"Kanae... I mean our housekeeper came with me." Kyoko glanced down the street, not wanting to meet the warm, humorous glint in those grey-flecked, forest green eyes. "She should be here somewhere."

"You mean you are not yet ready to leave Hizuri Hall?"

Kyoko's head snapped up in surprise, and her eyes searched his.

Ren smiled pleasantly. "Lord Hizuri is well known to me, hardly the sort a beautiful young woman would enjoy having as her husband." He saw the flash of fire in the amber depths of her eye, but he continued, undisturbed. "Despite your avowed hatred of me, Kyoko, would you not find my company more enjoyable then that twisted excuse for a man? My apartments in London are certainly more comfortable than a cold and drafty Manor house."

"And what, pray tell, would be the rents on such an establishment?" She queried with icy sarcasm.

He disregarded the sarcastic bite in her voice. Indeed, his smile would have been one of great compassion, except for the leer in his eyes. "That question could be settled with almost no discussion at all. Though any words that come from your lips I will gladly listen too, my sweet, to talk to you is not what I have in mind." He purred with a look that Kyoko hence named "Emperor of the Night".

Kyoko turned and stalked away with an abruptness that gave him cause to quicken his step as he followed her. When he took a place beside her again, she gave him a glare that should have shriveled his heart to the size of a pea. "You amaze me, sir! You truly amaze me! I've not been a wife for a full week yet, scarce enough to know my husband well..."

"If at all," he scoffed in a muted tone.

"And yet," she raged on, ignoring his interrupting, "You insult the man, knowing him not at all, I'd wager. I must firmly tell you that there is more to him than others see. He has been kind and courteous to me, providing for my every comfort, and has never stooped to rudeness, unlike others I might mention." She gave her head a toss, reminiscent of a high-spirited filly. "He has been most civilized and gentlemanly."

"Pray tell, sweet lady," His green eyes darkened to a deeper shade of green as he stooped to whisper softly into her ear, "What else could he be? Has he taken you in his arms and proven his manhood?"

Kyoko faced him squarely, her mouth agape at his crude affront. A half smile appeared on Ren's face giving him a roguish appearance as his eyes warmly caressed her.

"I assure you, my love," he murmured softly, "I would not have wasted the time. By now, you would have had no doubt as to the readiness of my passion."

Kyoko gasped and felt a scolding blush creep up over the top of her chest and stain her face a magnificent rouge. "You...You... insufferable man!... no not man...Boy!" She stammered in amazement. "In the last few moments you have proposed that I take a place as your mistress, and now you confront me with your... I don't even know what to call it! Can you honestly believe that I take my vows so lightly? Indeed, I do not! I am firmly bound to my word! But if you would do me any honor, however small, then leave my sight and spare me your presence."

"I fear that that is something I cannot do," He sighed in overstated apology. "You have boldly captured my deepest desire, and with than, most probably my heart."

Kyoko swung a daintily slippered foot with dire intent, but he lightly stepped aside and laughingly saved his shin from the blow.

"Such a temper," he chided.

"Get out of my sight! Leave before I retch at the very sight of you!"

Ren grinned broadly and swept her a low bow. "As you wish, My Lady. Since I think that Kanae is that one over there craning her neck in an effort to find you, I shall leave you and go about my business."

Kyoko caught a glimpse of the head housekeeper down the lane, doing much as he had described. Grinding her teeth in anger, Kyoko strode away from him and fairly seethed with hot anger as she heard his last comment.

"If My Lady should change her mind, my ship will be here or in London. Captain Kizuki will know where to find me."

Kyoko refused to gratify him with a retort, but it was a massive struggle she made for composure as Kanae joined her.

"My Lady? Are you alright?" Kanae questioned in anxious worry when she saw her Lady's reddened complexion. Her next statement was almost an understatement. "You look a bit flushed."

"Yes, of course, I'm fine," Kyoko answered a bit stiffly. "There are just too many indecent men around for a decent woman to be straying off alone." She cast a glance back down the street but could see no sign of the Yankee. With his disappearance, some semblance of sanity returned, and she relaxed, but only a little bit. Her temper was too badly frayed to allow her to devote too much attention to shopping. "After we find a kettle, I think we should return home."

"But My lady, you haven't bought anything for yourself yet."

"Lord Hizuri has been more than generous. I can think of nothing I lack."

"Very well."

A pot was found and purchased a short time later, and when they came from the shop, Kyoko was astonished to find another coach waiting for them a short distance away. It seemed that with its very presence the street had filled with a multitude of gaping bystanders who were trying to stare without really appearing to do so. Several groups of whispering women bent their heads together, but when her gaze came upon them, they quickly pretended to peruse the wares of a nearby peddler. Kyoko's bemusement vanished abruptly when the carriage door swung open and the cloaked form of her husband descended to await her. Acutely aware of the sudden silence on the street and the many heavy stares, she hurried toward him. Yashiro stepped up to meet her and, taking the packages, carried them to the carriages storage compartment. She released a trembling breath as she faced Lord Hizuri.

"My Lord," her voice quavered only slightly, "I was not expecting to see you here."

"I had business with Mr. Sawara, and since he was leaving for London, I asked a ride from him to Wirkinton as it was on the way." He contemplated her for a moment. "Have you finished here, Madam?"

"Yes, My Lord."

He raised his arm, half blocking the entrance to the carriage as he offered her his assistance. Kyoko stared, unable to move.

"Take my arm, Madam," he urged softly. "It is unseemly that you should embarrass me before so many."

She quelled a shudder and reluctantly placed her hand on his offered arm. Was surprised to find it well formed and firmly muscled beneath the cloth of his coat, not at all unpleasant to the touch. The strength she had feared but never doubted was evident. Yet strangely, touching him made it all seem less sinister, as if for the first time she was able to think of him as a flesh-and- blood man and not some cold, scarred creature from the netherworld. His other hand briefly resting on her waist, helped brace her ascent into the carriage.

Aided by Yashiro, Kanae climbed to the top of the coach and settled herself beside Hikaru, purposefully leaving the privacy of the interior to the wedded couple. Yashiro squeezed in beside the head housekeeper. Caught between the two hulking men, Kanae displayed a moment of distress before she gave the two men a sharp jab each with her elbows.

"Keep to your places now," she warned. "I won't be crushed to smithereens by the likes of both of you."

A buzz of voices rose along the street as Lord Hizuri made his entry into the carriage. He braced his weighted foot on the step, grasped the sides of the door with his gloved hands, and hoisted himself into the interior. He settled into the seat across from Kyoko, and the carriage lurched into motion. When they had passed from the cobbled thoroughfare onto the dirt road leading from the city, a soft echoing chuckle came from Lord Hizuri. Kyoko stared at him curious to know what had amused him.

"You see, Madam?" His oddly half-whispering, half-rasping voice won her full attention. "Touching me is not at all like taking hold of a serpent."

In sudden embarrassment Kyoko glanced away. It was like he could read her mind from the very beginning, for the very words had flitted through her mind. She had never considered him to be a man, but rather something diabolical.

"I am a man, Kyoko," He assured her, the laughter gone from his voice, and once again he seemed to read her thoughts. "With all the needs and desires of a man. And you, my darling Kyoko, are so beautiful it tortures me."

Though she felt the eyes behind the mask resting heavily upon her, she could not look at the leather helm. Her answer was barely audible. "I struggle with myself, My Lord. My imaginings run rampant, and I think it eases my fears no more to see your mask than to glimpse whatever lies beneath it. Perhaps if I could see your face..."

"You would recoil in rage and horror," he interrupted curtly. "Wild imaginings might one day be conquered by a dream, but the surest knowledge of my face would forever bar the door between us. If I have too I will bide my time, but even you must see there is a worth beneath the meanest of exteriors, that even a scratched and worn carriage may yet yield a comfortable ride."

Suddenly gunshots sounded from behind them startling the occupants of the coach. Yashiro opened the small compartment above the forward seat and urgently announced, "Highwaymen, My Lord! A dozen of them coming up from behind!"

Lord Hizuri leaned out the window to see the oncoming band of thieves but quickly ducked back in when a shot splintered the wood of the door near his head. He shouted a command at Yashiro. "Tell Hikaru to keep them at a good distance. I'll see what I can do to dissuade them. And Yashiro … get Kanae down."

"Yes, Sir!" The man responded almost cheerfully and slammed the small door. An outraged squawk was heard as he shoved Kanae down into the storage compartment beneath his feet where the baggage was located. In angry protest the woman sputtered a stream of curt insults, but ceased the name calling when a stray bullet whined off a roadside boulder. Without so much as another peep, she scrunched down deeply into the compartment.

Lord Hizuri faced his young wife with an apology. "Madam, I am sorry to inconvenience you, but i must ask you to move here to the forward seat."

Kyoko hurriedly obeyed as Hikaru urged the horses into a faster pace and Yashiro fired a few wild shots from the top of the carriage. As soon as she had cleared the rear seat, Lord Hizuri grabbed the front part of the cushion and pulled up. To her amazement, a trunk-like compartment was revealed. Within it was a neat stack of over a dozen muskets and a box of pre-measured cartridges in silk tubes. Her husband hefted a flintlock out and reached across to the top of the seat, flipping a pair of latches that held a short, wide panel over the seat closed. He cocked the flint and checked the priming pan, then sat forward so he was free of the swaying sides of the carriage. A moment passed as he waited, then he lifted the gun to his shoulder. It seemed it had no more than touched in place than a cloud of smoke, accompanied by a deep bark, filled the coach. Kyoko jumped at the ear-wrenching explosion, and a brief second later she saw one of the highwaymen swept of his horse as if by a puppeteer's string. Lord Hizuri set aside the fired piece and took another. The musket came up and before Kyoko could brace herself, the hammer fell, filling the carriage with another deafening roar. Again, the charging brigands suffered a loss as another rider went sprawling into the dirt.

Taking up another musket, he glanced Kyoko's way briefly and rasped out a command, "Madam, stay behind me."

The hatch above their seats was pulled open, and Yashiro's voice called down, "Almost to the bridge, My Lord."

Lord Hizuri debated the statement briefly before he nodded and replied, "Good! Just go to the other side then."

The small door was snapped shut without further comment from above. Lord Hizuri tucked two muskets beneath his arm and took hold of the door latch with the other hand.

"Brace yourself, My dear," he calmly informed Kyoko.

Glancing through the rear window, she saw that one of the riders bolder than the rest, had spurred his horse to the front and now raced a good deal ahead of his more cautious fellows. He was beginning to gain on the speeding carriage, when the coach careened around a sharp curve, and he was momentarily lost from sight. Kyoko struggled to maintain her balance through the wildly lurching swing, but no sooner had it finished than a loud, hollow roar assailed her already ringing ears, and she realized they were crossing a narrow wooden bridge with low post rails on either side.

The roar ceased and, and another lurching and heaving began as Hikaru stood on the brake lever and hauled the reins to bring the team of horses to a halt. Before they were even at a full stop, Lord Hizuri threw open the door and with a hand on the sill, swung himself out and down, skidding to a halt in the middle of the road. Going to one knee, he laid one of the muskets beside him and casually checked the pan on the other before he pulled back the heave snap lock. He waited in the sudden stillness as the thunder of hooves in the distance grew nearer.

The lead rider came around the bend into view, and Lord Hizuri bided his time until the horse's hooves struck the bridge floor, then he flipped the gun to his shoulder and fired. The heavy ball took the horse square in the chest. The animal's forelegs collapsed beneath him, and he fell nose downward toward the dirt, then somersaulted hooves over head through the air, sending his rider hurtling in a high arc the man landed with a bellow of pain, then rolled along the bridge for a short distance while his dying horse thrashed in the dust.

The highwayman struggled to his feet and shook his head as if dazed. He was slow to look around, but when he did, he gave another loud bellow as he saw the rest of the charging band being funneled onto the bridge but their speeding steeds. The unseated one dove towards the rail and jumped it, in an ungainly leap just ahead of the racing group, landing a fraction of a moment later flat on his face in the icy water below. The last that was seen of him, he was struggling to stay aloft as his heavy clothes dragged him down and the swift current tumbled him over and over in the shallow bed.

His companions gave no thought to helping him as the first one plowed into the dying horse and was rapidly followed by the others. The last rider avoided the tangle on the bridge, but his mount took to the bit and raced off into a growth of briars. The horse screamed and bucked as the thorns scrapped its legs. On the third energetic leap, the steed and rider parted completely, and the Lord's party with Kyoko included watched as the highwayman sailed high into the air before coming down with flailing limbs and a crescendoing shriek as he disappeared into the briar bushes.

Chuckling, Lord Hizuri came to his feet and discharged the second musket into the air. The brigands completely lost heart for the chase and redoubled their efforts to extricate themselves from the chaos on the bridge.

A loud laugh came from the top of the carriage, and Yashiro smiled heartily, "You did it, My Lord! You upsot every one of them! There isn't anyone around that has an eye like you."

"Are you alright up there?" His lordship questioned.

Yashiro chuckled. "All except Kanae, who's in a bit of a tiff about her squashed bonnet."

Another brief chuckle came from Lord Hizuri. He wondered slowly back to the carriage and slid the muskets onto to the floor as he looked up at his young wife. "And you, Madam? How have you fared?"

Kyoko smiled. "I am quite well, My Lord, thanks to you."

Lord Hizuri swung himself into the interior and closed the door behind him. When he had seated himself, he tapped twice on the small upper hatch, and the coach lurched into motion. As Kyoko watched, he reloaded the four empty muskets, laid them in their places inside the compartment, then closed the cushioned lid. He felt his wife's stare as he leaned back in the seat and looked at her.

"You would stare at a cripple, Madam?" Humor was heavy in his whispered voice.

"You amaze me, My Lord." Kyoko shook her head with a quick movement. "You seem to be ill at ease in this world, and yet you deal with its difficulties so remarkably well. I get the feeling that in spite of your handicaps you are a step or two ahead of most people."

"I will take that as a compliment, My Love."

Kyoko pressed her curiosity farther and worded her next statement as a half question. "You handled the guns with unusual skill."

"The result of long practice, my dear."

"You have heard no doubt, of Ren Tsuruga and his skill at dueling, yes? Do you think you could best him?"

Her husband's answer was preceded by a light laugh. "Such an event would prove most fascinating, even to me, but I do not tempt fate, my dear, by dwelling on such remote possibilities."

"I did not mean to imply a possibility, My Lord," Kyoko apologized. "I only meant to learn where you placed a man of such skill."

"By my side, had I the choice. It is not wise to foolishly antagonize a man adept with weapons."

"My father and brother," she said slowly. "Are they fools in your eyes?"

"Your father? I hesitate to judge." He laughed easily and dusted the knee of his pants. "I am sure that before I would give you up, I would prove myself a fool several times over." He paused and considered his wife, who sat straight, eyes averted, while she tried to subdue a blush. "Your brother? He failed to consider his choices and rashly chose wrong. The hasty spirit of youth perhaps, but he suffers much from his own making."

"You are truthful and honest, My Lord," Kyoko assured him, still unable to meet his unflinching gaze. "I cannot fault you for that."

"If you think me so honorable, my love, hear me out. I do not accept nor condone dueling, yet I have never stepped away from a contest of arms. If I could secure your love for myself with such an event, I would gladly challenge all those who would come against me."

Kyoko was completely unprepared to deal with his statement, blushing she turned her head to the side and stared out the window as she could think of no worthy comment to his statement. Lord Hizuri's eyes moved along the delicate profile, then dipped lower, to where the parted cloak revealed the full shape of her breasts. His gaze lingered there for a pleasurable moment before gliding downward to where her gloved hands lay primly folded in her lap. He mentally sighed.

"Do you want to stop in Mawbry to visit your family?" He asked after a moment.

"I have nothing to say to them, My Lord," she murmured. "I would rather continue on to Hizuri hall."

Lord Hizuri braced his palms on his knees while he thought on her answer. If she entertained some fears about what he might demand of her when they reached Hizuri Hall, then she was not willing to spare herself by delaying it with a visit to her relatives.

The sun began to sink behind the horizon, bathing her face and chest in the soft golden light. Kyoko knew he watched her, for she felt the heat of his gaze more firmly than the warmth of the sun. A few minutes later she was relieved when the light faded from the skies and darkness shielded her from that unanswering attention, but even then, there was that strange quality about her husband that made her wonder if he were something more than human, if his eyes could penetrate her through the ebony shadows, and if she would ever cease to feel the unsettling timidity she experienced in his presence.

When Kyoko awoke the next morning, she found that Lord Hizuri had taken his leave of the manor and left word that he might be gone for several days. She considered his absence as something of a reprieve but her conscience was not totally free. Rolling up her sleeves, she set out to prove that she was a capable mistress of the house, if not yet a wife. She organized the servants, and while some were given the task of maintaining the living quarters of the mansion, others were set to cleaning areas that were still covered by dust.

Though some of the tenants paid their rents in edible items, there were always spices and other precious and rare condiments to purchase, and the kitchen had to be restocked with supplies. She compiled a list of necessities that warranted another trip to market, this one to be undertaken by the butler Hatake at a different time.

Curious about the tenants themselves, Kyoko asked Hikaru to bring the carriage around. Armed with healing herbs, teas, and medical salves, she took Maria with her and began visiting the cottages surrounding the mansion to see if there was anything she could help with. There were grins aplenty to welcome her, and their bubbling laughter and beaming faces were visible proof that, despite his frightening appearance, they were thankful for Lord Hizuri's return. She was amazed by their fierce loyalty to the family, and she did not miss how their mouths tightened when Lord Fuwa's name was mentioned. The last years had not been easy for them, but with the rightful Lord in his place, they were quick to express a new hope for their future.

Kyoko came away with a newly sprouted seedling of respect growing within her for her husband, for in the brief visit she had learned that he was already easing their plight by reducing their rents and had done away with the laws imposed upon them by Lord Fuwa, and in their stead had presented statutes that were fair and easy to live with. He had also imported a pair of bulls and nearly a dozen rams from Scotland, all of which promised to produce healthier, sturdier stock for the tenants. In more ways than one, she began to understand why the people welcomed her husband's coming.

Chapter 10 complete 😀

Chapter 11 coming soon