"In his Home, most assuredly," Genji answers. "Though he is a Merchant, he has little Patience for Travel."

They leave in the shadow of Genji's glare, with the guards almost jumping out of Takao's way.

Yoshi ponders Takao's question as they make for the nearest tavern. "We most assuredly can - this road was many waystations where we can exchange horses," Yoshi says. "I have ridden it by night, and while I cannot recommend it, foregoing sleep would see us at Shira-dono's estate by noon of the day after tomorrow - from there, it is only an hour's ride into the capital proper. The barges will take at least four days to arrive if they depart now. To answer your other question, I have no idea who this man could be. I imagine there are many who would fit such a vague description - the one we are after may only be revealed when he shows up to take the barges." Yoshi throws in a smile. "But first, we must eat, and buy more provisions. Something we can eat in the saddle, yes?"

Since it looked like the barges were moored for the night, Takao was in no rush.

"There is certainly time for a hot meal. We won't have to ride through the night - apparently we'll still be twice as fast as the barges. But let's ride hard tomorrow and the day after, to get to the Capital before the barges do."

"Is there an inn on the way that you can recommend?"

As they continue their trip, or find an inn, whichever Yoshi's recommendation may be, Takao turns around from time to time to see if Genji makes any effort to cast off early, or if the barges stay put.

"Where would Mura's estate be? I assumed it was in the capital, but the orders made it sound differently."

"Then we shall not press our luck," Yoshi says. "The road is good, but if a galloping horse trips over something in the dark, its rider will not enjoy the landing."

The question about a good inn brings a smile to Yoshi's lips. "Shira-dono actually owns a small summer home along the way. We can rest up there."

The local tavern - the Frying Dragon - offers an excellent view of the riverside, and though the pier and the moored barges are not in direct sight, there's nowhere else for them to go - either towed upstream towards the capital, which the two samurai will certainly notice, or turn around and drift back to the Forge. By the time Yoshi and Takao finish their meal and start their ride north, there's still no sign of the barges passing, so they briefly ride back to the port - and the barges still sit there, though the new set of tow horses are now there and getting harnesses to drag the barges further upstream to its next waystation. With nothing left to do, Yoshi and Takao thunder off towards High Lord Shira's estate, a hard ride of two days.

Along the way, Takao's reflections on the conversation with Genji is cause for a short conversation as they trot their horses over a particularly uneven bit of forest path. Yoshi thinks on the question, then shakes his head. "I do not know of any estate Mura might hold outside the capital, only his trading post at the river port," he says. "What is your plan for this? We already know the location of the handover, is that not enough to follow the shipment to its destination?"

"It is", Takao concedes, "and my question was mostly idle curiosity. Genji indicated that his master does not leave his home often, yet he appears to have an active hand in matters and good connections to the court."

"There was another part to the note, though", he adds, "talking about 'more business'. I don't know how openly Mura is moving these gonnes, but if it is supposed to be covert, which I suspect, since there is no mon flying on these barges, nor is there an interest for most high lords of having these weapons in or near the capital, then Mura might also be moving other things secretly."

They ride on for a while longer, then Takao asks: "You wonder why I didn't cut the fool down, don't you? That may have been self-defense, but I had already intruded onto his master's property, and he was well within his rights to attack me. No, a ronin killing a samurai would have raised all kinds of trouble." He chuckles. "I also thought he'd be a bit less... tenacious. That's what earned me the bath."

Yoshi is quiet for a moment. "I hope you will forgive me such an indiscreet question, but can your courtly manners be relied upon?" he asks. "I have seen your fire put to good use at Lady Sarana's mansion and in facing Genji, yet in taking you to see Shira-dono, I will be responsible for your behaviour at his estate, and if he lends you aid as I hope he will, your further actions will also reflect on him. I do not mean to lecture you, but the capital is a very different place from the rest of the country. Lady Ishikawa has recruited a large corps of guards and investigators she calls 'police'; they patrol everywhere now, in foreign fashions, and samurai like us who settle our affairs with the blade are barely tolerated. This year, there was even a discussion to ban the open carry of weapons, despite this being our age-old privilege. Much is changing in a short time." He smiles grimly. "I hope I shall be honored with a glorious death in the duty of Shira-dono before I wake up to an empire that has rid itself of its old wisdom in favor of these new, untested ideas."

Takao contemplates these words for a moment. "I had a lord before my musha shugyo, and attended his court, but even though that was not too long ago, it feels like it. My etiquette is as good as can be expected coming from the province, and it may have some tarnish due to my years away from court."

"I am completely unfamiliar with the fashions and etiquette of the capital. For sure I will stand out as unsophisticated in those circles. Genji's reaction also showed that, as ronin, many doors will be closed to me in the capital. It would serve me well if you could lecture me in the etiquette of courts in the capital."

"Hearing of a ban to bear weapons is distressing to me. Like the gonnes, it sounds like another step to abolish the samurai, and it takes power away from the daimyo."

Over the course of the next two days, Yoshi gives Takao a quick refresher on courtly etiquette whenever they have a moment to spare. It breaks down fairly easily for Takao: as a ronin, he's way down on the totem pole of respect and should bow and defer to anyone with even a hint of a title or noble breeding, which should account for roughly half of the capital's population. Especially, he is not to speak out of turn and even when asked to speak, Yoshi advises Takao to be very, very careful with expressing his opinions. In the capital, the old courtesy of leaving your sword in the holder by the door when entering someone's domicile is still observed, and under Lady Ishikawa's enforcement, many public buildings and places now also disallow the open carry of weaponry - and while institutions may have a storeroom for swords and an attendant at the entrance, few such opportunities exist for public squares and parks. As a result, samurai have been virtually banned from large swaths of the capital outside the court and the noble quarters. Still, it was the wisdom of the emperor that accepted her as High Lord in charge of public security, and he's no longer around to contradict it.

(Fun history fact: Recall elections were invented in ancient Greece.)

You arrive at High Lord Shira's estate in the morning, many minutes before you even see someone - his lands stretch far into the woods, and beyond the trail being of much better construction than the main trade road into the capital proper, there's not much sign of being on his property. When the main mansion comes into sight, it is quite a sight indeed: rather than Matsumoto's compact highrise or the sprawling single building of Lady Sarano, this seems more like a compound with many smaller buildings surrounding Shira Manor, flanked by a multi-level shinto temple almost as big. In front of them stretches a clearing that has been scoured, flattened and rearranged into a pattern of small ponds, zen gardens and sparring rinks. The biggest of those rises up on a stone platform like a theater stage, and there are even rows of wooden benches to watch the performance being put on.

Standing in the middle is a man in a red-brown training armor that betrays both age and opulence, obviously built with no expense spared several generations ago and since lovingly maintained and kept in excellent repair. The man's weapon is similarly venerable - Takao can tell at a glance that this no katana, or even a tachi, but a positively ancient straight-bladed tsurigi or even a similarly old mainland jian. He holds it out by its sheath in his hands, facing three men in darker, simpler suits, each wielding a more common katana. At an invisible mark, all three lunge for the man in red, who spins into their attacks and almost casually bumps them aside. For only moments in his move does the blade of his sword flash, hardly leaving its sheath but clearly using the variable length of the partially-drawn blade to block and deflect the attacks while striking the men with the blunt ends of both sheath and handle. As the last assailant spins himself to attack the man in red's back, the samurai spins his sword around his wrist, sliding it over the back of his neck to catch the sheath with his other end before thrusting the whole upward and drawing just a bit of the blade. It catches the assailant's blade exactly where it was going, turning a strike at the samurai's back into an edge-on-edge hit. The assailant can't stop his blade in time to prevent it and has to watch as it shatters on contact with the samurai's sword. The fragments clatter to the ground, and the assailant withdraws a half-step, bringing up the remains of his sword in a futile defensive stance. Neither of two other assailants dares move as the samurai shakes off a few metal splinters that landed on the back of his armor, then returns his sword to his obi. The three assailants bow to him, then excuse themselves from the stage.

"You have just seen Shira-dono's morning exercise," Yoshi explains as you ride towards the nearby stables. "His style and weapon have passed down through generations of his family. Surely you've heard of Ryusei, the shooting star? Its steel is stronger than even what the foreigners use in their gonnes and sabers, and few blades or suits can stand up to it. No duel has been lost as long as a Shira wielded Ryusei. Come, let us rest our horses, then I will introduce you and your quest to my lord."

"Impressive", Takao admits. "I have, of course, heard of the weapon, but seeing it in action is an altogether different experience! Shira-dono incorporated the strength of his steel into his style in an impressive form. Any other blade would be useless after a fight with that style; while katana are sharp and hold an edge well, parries still mostly divert the opponent's blow rather than meeting it edge-on-edge to prevent nicks, as I'm sure you know. Yes, quite remarkable."

"Shall we go meet your lord, or have ourselves announced?"

"I will see to that," Yoshi says. "You stay with the horses."

The two of them ride up to the stables, where a twentysomething woman with long, wild hair seems to be whispering to a spooked horse, gently stroking its forehead. She walks out to greet Yoshi and Takao as they unmount.

"Back so soon, Yoshi-san?" she asks with an easy smile. Her grey eyes look past him, only turning to face him when he speaks.
"My travel was cut short by my new friend here," Yoshi says. "Himiko, this is Takao-san, a fellow student of bushido."
"Welcome to our home, Takao-san!" Himiko says, bowing forward with her hands atop each other in front of her thighs.
"Please excuse me now, Takao-san," Yoshi says. "Shira-dono will send for you when he is ready to talk."

As Yoshi makes his way to the manor, Himiko grabs both horses by the reins and leads them into two empty boxes, filling up the troughs with water and some fresh-cut grass.

"So, you're samurai, then?" Himiko says. "Who's your lord?"

Takao smiles, even though he is quite sure the woman cannot see the smile.

"I have not had a lord for a while. Yoshi-san is too generous, honoring me with the honorific. But I used to be samurai. Now, I am on a musha shugyo, and I must say, it is taking me to unexpected places indeed."

"You are good with horses, Himiko."

Himiko gives him a polite smile. "They are better company than many of my father's guests," she says. "A ronin on pilgrimage...but you're not here to plead for a place at my father's side, are you? Many young samurai come here to impress him - but you smell. You haven't taken care of yourself for the past few days, hardly how you would present yourself if you wanted to impress anyone. And your horses are beat from a hard ride - you're here for something important. And finally, Yoshi doesn't bring back many 'new friends'. Whatever you're after, he thinks it's a worthy cause that needs my father's aid." Her smile deepens. "You seem an interesting fellow, Takao-san. Perhaps you could share some stories with me later?"

Takao frowns and sniffs. "Your senses are keen, but your deductions take leaps. Traveling usually is strenous, and there isn't always time for the pleasantries of good lodging. Also, a visitor should expect to be afforded the opportunity to refresh himself before he is admitted to an audience. I do hope to make a better impression than this."

"But you are right, I'm not here to pledge with your father. The horses are probably the best clue. I hope Lord Shira will agree with Yoshi-san on the worthiness of the cause, and at least hear my words."

"How could I refuse the request of a fair lady? Of course I can share a tale or two later."

"Ah," Kimiko says, "but few avail themselves of this courtesy - they do not wish to chance making a bad impression on my father and take pains to already arrive rested and groomed." Still, she gives him a slight bow. "But I apologize for my forthrightness. I meant no insult, it's just...I've been practicing my deductions. I've taken up studies with Lady Ishikawa, you see."

"Interesting. No insult taken. I do smell a bit of travel, after all. These deductions, are they just an exercise to keep the mind sharp, or do they serve additional purpose? Does Lady Ishikawa have many students?" Takao's interest is genuine.

"I see there is much to get used to in the capital. Out where I come from, most will refresh themselves after travel, for the distances are far." A smirk. "And speech here is very direct. Or does that only go for young ladies?", he teases.

Kimiko smiles again. "You are also a student of deduction, then?" she asks. "I'm afraid I'm a poor example for generalizations. My tutelage under Lady ishikawa is owed to my parentage just as my directness - few dare to object to a High Lord's daughter, and my father, he's...well, he has long ago made peace with the idea that I will never be able to represent our family at court, so as long as I do not venture out alone, he leaves me to my whims. Who would dare tell him that he spoils me?"

She strokes the forehead of Takao's horse.

"My father is exceedingly formal. As are most of his guests. If you are not schooled in the old tongue, you should let someone else speak for you. Remain polite at all times. And above all - above every other concern - never cast any doubt on my father's swordsmanship. Do not, even in passing, speak highly of your own or any other school. He settles such matters with duels."

She pauses again. "Oh, my word. I did not wish to speak of him badly. He is a reasonable, honorable man. But the Shira family bears a complicated legacy. We cannot allow any signs of weakness. Even..." She sighs at that. "Forgive me. Much is on my mind and I am much too forward with you. It is none of your concern." She waves a hand towards a nearby building with steam rising from its chimney. "Our bathhouse is there. Feel free to freshen up there, we also have clean clothes for our guests there if you need them. I will tell Yoshi-san when he comes back."

Takao shakes his head. "I manage the odd deduction here and there, but I wouldn't call myself a student. I have heard of Lady Ishikawa and some of her new ideas, thought, and it has made me curious."

When Kimiko finished, Takao turns away, pretending not to note her embarassment to help her save face. He bows. "I thank you for your advice. It wouldn't do to insult your father, even unwittingly. I will go and freshen up now. Perhaps I will see you later."

Kimiko's face beams with a smile. "I would like that, very much. Sayonara, Takao-san."

(Fast-forward)

Takao, freshly bathed and groomed, walks beside Yoshi as the two of them make their way into the Shira family manor. Taking their first step into the manor proper, Yoshi slides his sword out of his belt and puts it in the provided stand before replacing his shoes with felt slippers, bidding Takao to follow his lead. Together, the two of them walk into Shira-dono's throne room, where the High Lord, well, sits on his throne. It's neither as sprawling as Sarano's feasting hall not as compact as Matsumoto's office, finding a nice balance in size while definitely overdoing the wall-mounted weaponry and guards standing at attention. Yoshi bows deeply before his lord, then rises again, keeping his eyes downcast.

"My Liege," Yoshi begins, "This One humbly presents the Senshi that seeks your Ear."
"He may step forward," Lord Shira says, a slight twitch in his eye that might be connected to the frankly gargantuan scar that runs across his face. "Thou art Takao-kun, Inheritor of Mizu, true? Thy Master was known to Us. Name thy Cause."

Takao does as bid, looking briefly backward to catch Yoshi's eye. Then he take to a knee and bows as well, deeper yet than Yoshi did.

"It humbles this simple Swordsman that an Accomplished Master as Thyself deems mine School important enough to remember it, Shira-dono", he stumbles over the diction of the old tongue.

"Thy Samurai, Yoshi-sama, met me in the Abode of Lady Sarano, and has doubtlessly reported the Events that transpired. He suggested to commend mine Skill and Courage to Thee, as well as mine Cause. At Sarano's Palace of Secrets, I have learned of a plot to destabilize the Balance of the High Lords, and have come to the Capital to test the Veracity of the Statements. Yoshi-sama and I have uncovered Shipment of Gaijin Weapons, known as Gonnes, to the Captial on our way here, and I would further investigate."

"The Honorable Shira Family has long been the most Stalwart Defenders of the Emperor and His Empire. I seek thy Blessing to proceed with these Investigations, which may threaten the Peace."

Takao remains on his knee to await an answer.

"Rise, Takao-kun," Lord Shira says. "The Throne, it seems, does not lack for Enemies. Thy Words reveal our Quandary, for to speak such at Court is Anathema while We can only offer Suspicion. We cannot bestow our Blessing to thine Efforts, and if so inquired We will not recall this Encounter. Thou hast our Leave to seek the Truth in thine own Name. Present to Us the Evidence of such a Plot, and We shall reconsider our Stance."

He waves his hand.

"Thine Appearance before this One is Concluded. Go in peace now, Takao-kun."

"Thou art most gracious, Shira-dono. I shall return when I find Truth and Evidence." Takao bows once more, then rises to leave.

There is nothing more to be said. Surprise Takao as it may, the mighty Lord's hands are bound in face of the court. It is clear that a ronin will serve the purpose of investigation well.

Upon leaving the presence of the Lord, Takao said to Yoshi: "To involve you in most part of my investigations would draw Shira-dono's name into the affair, so I will have to work alone most of the time. However, there are many places in the capital that a ronin cannot go, so I would request your aid from time to time to go where I cannot. Will you help?"