“That’s easily ascertained,” Akitada said, feeling somewhat relieved. “Bring him here.”

The commandant gave an order, and after a short wait, two heavily-armed men brought in a chained Tora. He had added a bloodied lip to the black eye which had turned an ugly yellowish purple.

The expression on his face when he saw the wet and mud-stained Akitada was relief mixed with embarrassment. His mouth opened and closed, and he hung his head, muttering, “Sorry, sir.” His guards grinned.

“He’s a tough one, General,” one of them said. “Tried everything to escape.”

Tora glared at him, then lowered his eyes to the man’s arm. It was bare, and Akitada saw the tattoo of a circle inside a triangle. He looked at Tora and saw him nod. “Is that the man you saw, Tora?”

“Yes, sir.”

With an angry frown, Akitada turned to the prior. “Yes, this is Lieutenant Sashima. Release him immediately.”

Kanshin gestured, and Tora’s guards reluctantly began to undo the chains. Tora rubbed his wrists and said, “Thank you, sir. These men fell upon me two days ago as I was enjoying a walk near the temple. I had no way of getting a message to you.”

The prior raised a hand. “You did not identify yourself. If you had, this would not have happened. Your behavior, we were told, was suspicious, and you were found in a restricted area after dark.”

“I got lost. And it wasn’t quite dark yet.” Tora glowered. “As for why I didn’t identify myself, your people jumped me. I took them for a gang of highway robbers.”

There was some muttering from the sohei at this. Akitada ignored it and said, “Indeed, it seems very strange that peaceful monks should arrest harmless visitors to their temple and then rough them up. And why have restricted areas? I think the lieutenant had good reason to suspect criminal intent.”

Kanshin fidgeted. “Well,” he said, “it appears to have been a misunderstanding. Your lordship must be aware that Enryaku-ji faces constant threats from our enemies. We are forced to protect ourselves.”

Akitada ignored this. Stepping to Tora, he asked, “Are you all right?”

Tora moved his shoulders as if checking for damage, then nodded. “I seem to be in one piece, sir. No thanks to these thugs.”

Akitada turned back to Kanshin. “You will return Lieutenant Sashima’s armor and sword, as well as his horse. Then I want the chains on that man.” He pointed at the sohei with the tattoo. “He’s being sought by the Otsu police in connection with crimes against citizens. There are others, but this man has been recognized.”

Kanshin blanched. “Impossible. I cannot permit it.”

“You cannot refuse an order from an imperial investigator, Prior. Such an action would have an impact on the present investigation into the charges brought against Enryaku-ji.”

“But the charges were brought by us against Onjo-ji.”

Akitada smiled coldly. “It works both ways, Prior.”

Kanshin cringed, then nodded. “Very well. If the man is indeed found guilty, we will not stand in your way.”

“Then let’s go home!”

Chapter Sixteen

Spring Rain

The return journey was, if anything, more miserable than their earlier ascent to Enryaku-ji. They had Tora back, but the continuous rain became more aggravating now that this worry was gone. The horses slipped on wet rocks and mud so that the riders had to pay close attention. Their clothes, already wet, were becoming more so and chafing their necks. Thus, there was no conversation until Akitada, Tora, and Saburo reached Kosehira’s villa and released their escort for the remainder of the trip down into Otsu and to the tribunal.

As they dismounted in the villa’s courtyard and handed their horses to a groom, Akitada said, “Let’s see if we cannot get a bath.”

They could and met again in the villa’s roomy tub to soak away the miseries of the day, or in Tora’s case, of several days.

Tora was sore but happy. “I think I’ll sleep here tonight,” he said, slipping lower in the hot water.

His bruised face made Akitada reconsider the lecture he had planned. “Did anything useful come out of your adventure?” he asked sourly.

“They blind-folded me and kept me locked up close. I thought that was strange, but maybe they meant to convert me.” He grinned.

“Nonsense. You were recognized.” Akitada glared at him. “Your going there was a hare-brained idea.”

“Yes, sir.” Tora tried to look ashamed. “And I never saw Kinzaburo either.”

Saburo said, “But we have one of the sohei. We can make him talk. I bet we’ll learn all about Kinzaburo and a lot of other facts useful to his lordship.”

Saburo was right. If the sohei would in fact confess. Akitada had some doubts about this. He said, “I don’t approve of beating confessions out of prisoners.”

At this point, they were interrupted. The door flew open and Kosehira bounced in.

“Ha, ha!” he cried, all smiles. “I just heard. There you are, Tora. Back with us, safe and sound.” He took another look and added, “Poor fellow. Were they very rough?”

Tora sketched a bow. “Not at all. It’s nothing, sir. Thank you for helping and sorry to give you so much trouble.”

“Never mind that” Kosehira approached to peer at them more closely, then dipped a finger in the water. “Ha!” he said, “room for one more, I think,” and started taking off his clothes.

Saburo whispered to Akitada, “I think I’d better say good night, sir.”

Kosehira’s hearing was excellent. “Don’t you dare, Saburo,” he said, stepping out of his full trousers and casting them carelessly on the pile of silk robes he had just removed. He was portly and performed his ablutions without embarrassment while carrying on the conversation. “Did you find that fellow you were looking for, Tora?”

“No, sir.” Tora was still grinning. Unlike Saburo, he was enjoying the prospect of sharing a bath with one of the great nobles in the land. “They kept me locked up. I saw nothing. I figure they’ve got lots of secrets to protect.”

“No doubt,” muttered Kosehira, casting a leg over the side of the tub and plunging in, sending hot water over the side and its three occupants. “Ahhh, hmmm!” he sighed, closing his eyes. “That’s better.”

For a while they enjoyed the warmth silently. Akitada recalled his fear that Lady Yukiko would someday surprise him in his bath and quickly banished the thought again.

“So,” said Kosehira and looked at Tora, “it was all for nothing?”

Tora’s smile faded. “Afraid so, sir.”

“Not quite,” said Akitada. “I arrested one of the sohei involved in the attack on Kinzaburo and his family. He’s safely in the tribunal jail by now.”

Kosehira’s eyes widened. “Did you, now? How did you manage that?”

“Tora pointed out his tattoo. Tomorrow, we’ll transfer him to the Otsu jail and confront him with witnesses. He won’t be terrorizing women and children again.”

“He’s a stupid bastard,” said Tora, cheerful again. “Couldn’t resist being the one to bring me out in chains.”

“I can’t believe they let you take him.” Kosehira was dumfounded. “He can claim sanctuary on temple land.”

Akitada smiled. “I told them I have extraordinary powers while I’m looking into this matter of temple improprieties.”

“And do you?”

“No. At least I don’t think so. It was the best I could do at the moment. If we had left without him, we’d never have seen him again.”

Kosehira burst out laughing. “I don’t believe it. You stood right there before the abbot and took one of his men?”

“It was the prior Kanshin. The monk who paid me a visit earlier. The abbot did not seem interested in getting involved.”

“Ah. I’ve only met old Gyomei once. Yes, he either pretends to be above all this wrangling or he really has no idea what is going on.” Kosehira had become serious again. “I don’t have to tell you how difficult things have been with Enryaku-ji and Onjo-ji squabbling like bad little boys while they are grabbing land right and left. I’ve been told many times that I have no power to administer my own province. It seems most of it is owned by the temples.”