She copied that letter, placing it in her hands. It reminded her of the fact that nothing was truly certain. Even when her father had been buried and cremated. As she read the letter again and again, looking for any leeway inside that will have set this as wrong. Nothing stood out, all of them were fitting in getting the idea of how her father will have said.
The writing was exactly the same, but she will have had it no other way. The only way that will have made her doubt. Not enough to know, Masaki had abandoned for a moment. Suzumi mentioned that she will have no issues hiding it, as long as they were gone for as short a while as possible. And to take along another servant other than Kaede.
Somehow, she brought along Kagura at her request. She was a girl dressed in hakama, with a straw hat covering her face. Her long black hair tied into a low ponytail, finished with waraji sandals. And to keep up the pretense of a guard, she carried a sword and a short sword with her. Her height gave her an advantage to be believable, while Kaede simply chose to wear a kimono. Albeit it was not fine, in rags and felt out of place with them, as though she had just been picked up from the streets.
Not that it mattered, since the glances given to rich merchants often told of envy. And eyeing the money they had in their pockets.
"Those who dress well here, are either arrogant or fools." There was a place to flaunt their wealth, and it was better anywhere except this city. Here was where thieves lurked in hopes of finding that one fool, pirates could rob it even when it was about to dock. Many formed societies, often charging exorbitant rates for protection. Girls were routinely sold into Geisha houses, some as young as six.
This was a city that was ruled by greed, and it was at its worst.
"It didn't use to be this way." Kaede told her. "Well, back then a much stronger family had been appointed here, not Wariya a newly formed organization."
"It wasn't exactly that, but the Sasakis were simply more adept at controlling it. Now, they have all but swapped them out." Kagura tilted her own hat, to look at it. There was something about the girl that she thought she had seen before. "Centuries will have taught them how to work with it, but Wariya doesn't even have a single old contact of that family."
"What's this with the Sasaki clan?" With this question from Masaki, both promptly shut up.
Although Sachiko did look around this city, remembering that years ago a small girl could navigate the place with rarely any fear of being sold. In several years, the notoriety changed entirely. Most travelled in packs, with several who had thought that Fukusei remained that city where one could roam as long as they remained hidden and never went looking for trouble.
It was the only place where foreign ships were allowed to dock, any further north it will have been too cold. And it was as far as the West of Kyokuhi went. Not on the tip of the southern island, because of how it was too low. And never close enough to the other countries as it was.
She stopped by the small location, while having Masaki keep the original copy. Since he received the letter and she never wanted to do it against his will at any point in time. They had to stay in a house here, and for some reason had possessed an estate here. Which they intended to head into at the first moment. Far too dangerous to remain long in the outside for too long.
At times she wondered why her own father will have kept such contacts in the first place, but she knew that if he wanted spies there was not a place where it was easy to get them as here. If they haven't been serving the Shogunate, which was the norm for many old shinobi families. Which came from two clans in the first place, and various side families it had to supplement them.
Some which were refused the right to become a part of it, as they brought down the prestige often came here. Where Daimyos who were hungry had their fair share, and often the ones here were far more dangerous. The entire city made it easy for them to know where was the best hiding.
She opened the door to the estate that they had just seen, it being a large place by all means. For Masaki, who has never been in the city not even once had taken all the time to look around. It was incredibly dangerous for him to choose this route, because of how vulnerable he was at this point. It wasn't that they didn't want him to, but a city famed for it lawlessness was dangerous as a choice either way.
Inside, it was in a somewhat clean state. Having a few servants was a good thing in this case, but it was a little odd. The place didn't feel like it was untouched for years, with the way that most of it was changed. She didn't doubt that any of the servants here will not do their job well, but when her mother took her to even an abandoned location, where her grandmother lived until her death. The place was empty, and it showed it. That it was deliberate in how it was kept, with no intentions of anything less otherwise.
Masaki went in first, interested in seeing another house. One that will be under his name one day, although the boy didn't know how soon will that have been in reality. That it was something that she never thought too heavily about in the truth. Never having it be otherwise was the reality she knew it to be.
The servants welcomed them inside, as they opened the door for them inside. She turned to view them as one. Kagura took off her hat, showing her knowledge here. She heard from Suzumi that she was here for the most part, as was Kagura. Both of which made sense seeing as they let them in without even asking about them.
Kagura lifted up her hat when she entered the house. Taking the chance to look around the house, where it was much smaller when compared to their house in the south. But as she knew it it was far smaller in the city. Perhaps of how expensive it was to afford one in the city. Unlike the far quieter outer side of the country, where there was far less regulation.
Feudal lords and Daimyos rarely stayed within the city, mostly inhabited by their heirs and wives. Due to the customs of their times, where it was not only necessary, but considered a must for the most part. Since it was the only way a Shogun maintained control around them, as their heirs were with them, a necessary need at the end of the day.
Masaki looked at this, seeing just how huge the contrast was at the end of the day. This was a quiet place, far more than his own home back in Okiban.
"Wakatono." The old woman came to him. Despite her age, she was still fit, with mostly greying hairs. She chose a black kimono, her hair worn into a bun. She held a cane, although Sachiko debated whether it was necessary for her in the first place. She might have brought it because it was useful.
"Where is chichiue?"
"He's still off the shores." She turned her head around, clenching her fists.
Masaki had his hopes dashed once again.
"When he comes back, I'll be the first to meet him." She gave the small boy a small smile. "Now go on, feel free to explore the place with Kagura."
Kagura looked at the woman, with much skepticism. But she still obeyed her own orders at the end of the day. The boy skipped off to the the end. While Sachiko looked at the old woman, who didn't even say her name.
"Well, since he is gone I assume you do want to know more." She turned to face her, almost as though she knew what she was going to ask. "As expected, you didn't break the news."
For someone she has never met, she seemed well aware if not incredibly knowledgeable about her next move. Something that unsettled her. She knew it was not Kaede by any means, since she was chosen in the south. Although the girl wasn't comfortable either.
"So, what made you certain that I will not?"
"A chance at the freedom you seek." A chance away from this existence, taken care of but at the same time it was one that seemed impossible to find a way to live. Live it on her own terms. If she chose otherwise, she will have lost it for eternity. "Don't forget, you stayed here in your early childhood due to your ill health."
Livelier than their estate, but quieter than Okiban. Free from the maneuverings of the city, but not lacking in skilled physicians. Sometimes, it was even better if one looked closely and traded with the right sort. After all, foreign countries had much better luck than they did. Often resulting in many going abroad to learn from far more successful cultures, something that had been done even in the times where the power was held in the Imperial hands.
And there was never one which loathed outside influence any better than them, seeing as how nobles with good lineage had been the ones holding the reins, and those who were close to the throne often traced them from their ancestry. A place where a different set of rules governed, and one of the only countries who has only a single royal family and never changed hands.
What was her intentions here to say all of this.
"If there is anything your father wanted to tell you, it will be from your memories." She left a second later. While Sachiko continued to stare at the back of her. Underneath, she knew that it was a little difficult. He may have favoured her, but it was never to the degree that it will had her know.
And her mother kept her away from him, no matter what. Leaving them far and few, but those she had she treasured them.
"I have no idea what she was talking about." Kaede looked at her master.
"I don't know better either." Kaede continued to keep an eye out for her. "Did you even spend your childhood here."
"Yeah."
"Then, you must remember how the city was?" She asked again.
"A lot safer and more vibrant, although it was still a place lurking in dangers." She looked outside the window, for more chances to do so. Kaede didn't say a word at all.
"Odd, I rarely remember any daughter of a Daimyo living here." Kaede turned around. "Although it never was nearly as notorious a place back then."
"I was in ill health, so I didn't went out as much." She looked away. Staring at the skies, trying to remember what someone told her about the city. A place to be, a place where things changed but above all the vibrancy remained constant. The huge discrepancy in wealth did as well. "I went back when I was eleven, six years ago."
She looked out the window, in longing. Nothing but remembering memories that came far ago.
"Was it lonely?"
"It also was exciting to see." Now, she doubted she could have found the same courage to ever tread outside. Many were desperate, hungry and looking for a way just to survive the night.
"Back then, even the Shogun could make his way here and not fear assassination." Now, it was all but abandoned because the exact thing has happened here. A shogun was murdered in this city. Both knew it, although they didn't say it. And both knew that this didn't just changed this city, although the impact was felt the most. It was the entire country.
Now, with the family who ran the Shogunate for three centuries down to its last branch, with only one viable heir in times of need. And with the disappearance of his son, many rumors spreaded around. Although she has never found anyone of them ever to be considered seriously.
"Well, it has changed and there's not much we can do."
"Do you want to explore?" Kaede winked at her.
She gave a smile, which meant yes. Before she went back to her own thoughts, about her father, his death and all of this. A mystery that she still was no closer to solving.