The Shogun’s Second Son

Chapter 4

For some context, our hero (coincidentally named Hiro), is breaking out of his family’s palace. Using his powers, some ingenuity, and a little help from his brother, Hiro hopes to escape at night, undetected.

——

Late that evening, the door to Hiro’s suite creaked open. A guard gingerly stepped inside, softening his armor-clattering steps.

Four rooms later, the guard reached a window-laden bedroom. He shuffled close to the bed and peered over the sheets. Yes, Prince Hiro was still there, still asleep. The guard then retraced his way back through the suite, and closed his door on the way out. 

Hiro’s eyes opened. He leapt out of bed. The next patrol would come by in half an hour. He needed to be far from the castle’s walls by then.

Hiro ran to the other side of the room and reached behind a chest of drawers, pulling out a bundle of sheets and blankets, tied end-to-end in a rope-like fashion. 

Hiro lifted up a window, and an arctic wind instantly howled into the room. After locking the window into place, Hiro stuck his head outside and looked down. Three stories of the Palace sat below Hiro’s room, and below that, a cliff with no angle. If something (or someone) fell from this window, they would plummet into dark fog and splatter against the canyon floor several seconds later. 

It wasn’t the most helpful thought before climbing out a window.

Hiro pulled on several parts of his makeshift rope, testing its durability. Then he scanned his room for somewhere to tie the rope into place. The chairs weren’t heavy enough. The furniture that was heavy enough, such as the chest of drawers, were too far from the window. He needed something he knew wouldn’t budge - something he could rely on.

He took his sword off his belt, casing and all, and held it up. When Hiro let go with his hands, the sword continued floating in the air; obedient to the samurai's wishes, as all bonded items are. He tied one end of the rope around the katana’s casing while he held onto the other end. Again, he pulled to test his contraption. The sword stayed in place. 

Hiro faced the window. Gusting wind stung his face and brushed back his hair, a brief taste of what it was about to feel like to leap from the window. A breath in, another out. Let’s get this over with.

With four big bounds, Hiro bolted across his room, and swan dived out the window.

And then realized he forgot to tie the rope to his waist.

He reached for it, but the rope fell faster than he did. He missed with one hand. Then the next. He clicked his heels together, trapping the rope between his feet.

The rope ran out of slack, and when the rope ran out of slack, it caught on the bottom of the windowsill. This caused Hiro to fling back towards the castle, two stories beneath the window he’d just leapt out. 

But instead of slamming into a wall or into another window, Hiro flew through an open window, and rolled end-over-end across an empty marble floor, in a parlor room both dark and unfurnished. 

Yuzuki stood in the shadow, and as soon as Hiro flew into the room, he closed the window. “See? That wasn’t so bad,” he said.

Hiro dusted himself off with shaking hands. While he gathered himself, Yuzuki scanned him head to toe. Hiro had on green trousers tucked poorly into a pair of black boots. A black, silk button-up shirt hung freely over Hiro’s pants, with a collar that rode up high on Hiro’s neck. Sure, none of it matched, but Hiro’s flashy white cape and flat brimmed straw hat would draw all the attention.

“You’re really going to wear that?” Yuzuki asked.

Hiro looked down at his outfit. “What? I always dress like this when I go out.”

 “Whatever. Suit yourself.” Yuzuki said as he started across the parlor. “We don’t have much time. The guards will know you’re gone shortly.”

Hiro looked around. “Where’s Bin Bonsai?”

“He’s still under house arrest in the infirmary. It turns out that taking someone’s energy three times in one day is not good for a person’s body.” 

“Well I’m not leaving without him,” Hiro said. “Without me here, he’ll be put on trial for letting me escape not once, but twice. He won’t last a day.”

Yuzuki gave a scoff as if the matter was frivolous.  “We don’t have time.”

“I don’t think you heard me,” Hiro said with conviction, “I’m not leaving without him. Surely you’d do the same for Konimara.”

He wouldn’t.

But that’s not what mattered. What mattered was getting Hiro out of the castle, and quickly. Yuzuki rubbed his thumb into his temple. This is why he didn’t give favors. “Fine. We’ll go get your blubbering oaf. But no more delays.”

---

Nestled in a corner basement of the castle was the palace’s infirmary. The pillow side of Bin’s bed pressed up against a large window, overlooking the deep, foggy valley. 

Bin’s bald head reflected the bright moon as he lay deep in sleep. His crimson mustache jumped with each snore. 

Outside the window, Yuzuki floated by on a cloud of ice and snow. He tapped on the glass. 

Bin slept through it.

Yuzuki knocked again, this time a bit harder. 

Bin rolled over as he slept. “Mommy, don’t hit that cat…”

Frustrated, Yuzuki started pounding on the window with balled fists. 

A window two floors above opened. Hiro stuck out his head. “What’s taking you so long?” he whisper-yelled.

“Your oaf won’t wake up!” Yuzuki whisper-yelled back. “What are you doing up there? You’re supposed to be handling the guards.” 

“I did!” Hiro said.

Outside the infirmary’s main entry, a dozen unconscious soldiers lay scattered across the hallway with their bodies contorted into uncomfortable positions.

“Do I really have to do everything?” Hiro asked. “How hard is it to wake a guy up?”

Yuzuki gritted his teeth. “How hard is it to check the guards for keys?” 

As Yuzuki yelled, his attention turned away from his bond with Ice, and towards Hiro. Without Yuzuki’s focus, Ice stopped listening, and the platform Yuzuki sat on slowly eroded. 

“I did!” Hiro said back. “There was nothing.”

“Oh, come on,” Yuzuki spat, “You’re telling me that the men guarding a locked door didn’t even have a key to the locked door?”

The snow under Yuzuki gave way, chunk-by-chunk.

Inside the window, Bin heard snippy whispering, and rolled over with a yawn. His eyes blinked open. 

“You probably didn’t look hard enough – you never do!” Yuzuki strained as his footing started to erode.

“Typical Yuz, blame everything on me. If you hadn’t tattled to mom about me running off, maybe Bin wouldn't be here in the first place!”

Bin sat up, and looked around the dark infirmary. He could’ve sworn he heard Hiro’s voice. Directly behind him, Yuzuki was in the window, yelling upwards.

“Blame? Blame? YOU’RE one to talk about blame!” Yuzuki hissed, “If I had a coin for every time you tried to rat on me, I’d ha- wahh!” 

Yuzuki fell through the snow cloud and plummeted down the cliff.

Bin’s mustache twitched. He spun around and faced the window, but nobody was there. He scratched his head. He could’ve sworn he just heard someone yell. 

Hiro threw his katana out the window. “Grab on!”

Bin turned back in the dark room. “Sire? Was that you?” As soon as Bin turned away from the window, Hiro’s katana flashed by.

Yuzuki flailed and fell through the fog. Hiro’s sword wasn’t far behind. Before the sword reached Yuzuki, it flipped around, showing its handle to Yuzuki. Yuzuki grabbed hold. 

Hiro’s body jerked forward as Yuzuki’s body weight joined the sword. Hiro commanded his sword back. And when he did, Yuzuki flew upwards. When Yuzuki and the sword broke the fog, Hiro cheered. 

Bin froze. That certainly came from outside. He opened his window, stuck his head out, and looked up. “Sire? What are you doing -”

“LOOK OUT!” Yuzuki yelled.

Bin jerked his head back inside. Hiro’s blade screamed upwards, past where Bin’s head just sat. Bin put his hand over his heart, hoping it wouldn’t explode. He sat on the floor for a few odd moments, wondering if what just happened was real. The squawking of two teenagers bickering at one another told him that he hadn’t dreamed it.

“Bonsai?” Hiro’s voice barely reached the infirmary.

“…Yes, Sire?” Bin called back, waking up other patients around him.

“…You mind unlocking the door?” asked Hiro from two stories away. “Actually – just come upstairs.”

“Yes, Sire.” Bin yelled back.

Confused beyond all reason, Bin put on his silk loafing clothes and left the room. As soon as he stepped out into the hallway, he paused. A bundle of twelve guards sat on the floor. Having just woken up, they held their heads, moaned, and wondered aloud why Prince Hiro would do something like that. When they heard a door creak open, they looked towards Bin, who was standing in the now opened door. 

The captive and his captors exchanged a beat of strange, confused eye contact. The guards sprung to their feet and rushed to the door. Bin slammed the door shut and locked it. He backed away from the pounding door and went back to the window, where he could still hear two teenagers arguing with one another. 

“Um…Sire?” Bin hollered.

“…Which Sire?” Yuzuki yelled back.

“My sire, preferably. Though, I suppose either one will do,”

“…What do you want?” Hiro yelled.

“Well it seems that there’s a bit of a crowd outside my door, and they don’t seem too happy with the idea of me leaving. Would you mind if we –”

“One second.” Yuzuki called out. 

Bin waited for further explanation; it would be impolite and completely out of line to interrupt a member of the royal house. However, no explanation came.

By now, most of the infirmary’s patients were sitting up in their beds, staring at Bin with disgust.

“Sorry,” Bin said meekly to his bunkmates. He twiddled his thumbs as the silence played out. When the silence got too uncomfortable, he took a deep breath and a bit of courage, and yelled out the window, “Sire, if you don’t mind me asking…what’s going on?” 

Bumps, bangs, crashes. The hallway outside the infirmary sounded like a ship running aground. The infirmary’s patients all stared at the door intensely. Nervously. Eventually the ruckus stopped.

Clack. Clack. Clack. Someone knocked on the door.  

Everyone in the infirmary stayed glued to their bed. “I think that’s for you,” One of the patients said to Bin.

Bin nodded. “Very well.” He took a few lumbering steps across the room and opened the door. He found Hiro, Yuzuki, and a bunch of unconscious guards. 

Hiro grabbed Bin by the shirt and dragged him forward. “We’re leaving.”

“Leaving where, sire?”

“Tochikasai.” Hiro said. “Do I really have to explain myself?”

“You don’t have to, but I would quite appreciate it,” Bin said. “Does Lord Howaito know I’m going?”

“No. That’s the point.”

Bin’s eyes widened. “Do you mean…” he stopped walking and put a hand over his mouth, “…is the Lord going to have me killed?”

“Please. You’re a war hero,” Yuzuki said as he slapped Bin on the back. “He probably just wants to cut off your hands and banish you from the Empire.”

Bin’s face whitened. 

“But that’s not going to happen,” Hiro said. “I got you into this mess, so I’m getting you out. I’m going to Tochikasai to bond with Fire, and you’re coming with me. I need protection, and you need to get out of here.”

Bin shook his head. “No, no…I can’t just leave Lord Howaito…I have an arrangement with him. I cannot betray his will, no matter what that will is.”

“Arrangement?” Yuzuki scoffed. “Father doesn’t keep arrangements with soldiers.”

Bin’s lips squeezed together as he reddened. “I can assure you that he does.”

“Bonsai, here’s the truth,” Hiro said. “Whatever arrangement you have with our father is tied to my protection. So if I die, you can say goodbye to whatever deal it is you have worked out with him.”

Bin looked like he might crumple up into the fetal position. Hiro put his finger into Bin’s chest, “Listen, Bonsai. This is kind of one of those now or never moments. You stay, you get in trouble. We go, I still have a chance at glory, and you still have a chance with your little…whatever it is that’s got you sweating arrows.

“Do you want to be the man that helped a Howaito prince create his first bond, or do you want to be the disgraced captain that got his hands cut off?”

Bin examined his hands, curling his fingers into fists. “I quite like my hands…” He looked at the boys, “And I quite like the idea of staying in your good graces, too.” He nervously smiled. “…Can I think about it?”

Moaning. The three of them turned back. The guards were waking up for a second time.

Hiro raised his chin. “Like I said - now or never.”

“Okay, okay.” Bin let off a surrendering sigh, and nodded somberly as if he’d come to terms with his predicament. “I’ll…go with you, sire.”

“Great,” Yuzuki said. “Now, let’s get you out of your pajamas.”

Bin traded in his all-red silk onesie for something more primed for the outdoors; a grey button-up shirt that opened widely at the top, showing his hairy, barrel chest, along with a black pair of trousers that tucked neatly into high-riding black boots. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, and, like Hiro, put on a cape that covered most of his upper body, only his was blue. Most importantly, Bin made sure to grab his trusty broad axe. They also raided storage closets for leather satchels, rope, a compass, a map, blankets, dried foods, and vegetables.

Through the palace’s stone walls, the trio could hear horns blasting. 

“They know,” Bin said.

Yuzuki nodded. “We need to hurry.”

The only way in or out of the palace was through the main gate, and the only way to the main gate was through the front courtyard. When Hiro, Yuzuki, and Bin ran across the yard, soldiers rushed out of their barracks to confront and capture them.  

“I’ll open the gate - you two worry about getting ostriches,” Yuzuki said as he pointed to a long, windowless stable topped with a smoking chimney. He then split off from Bin and Hiro and stomped around in a pile of snow. Once snow sufficiently coated his boots, he sprinted towards the outer wall, using his bond with Ice to run up the wall at full speed. 

Meanwhile, Bin yanked on double doors that lead into the stables. “It’s locked!” 

“Pull harder!” Hiro yelled.

Bin’s neck strained. His arms bulged. His feet slid into the mushy ground as he ripped at the handles. “Still locked!”

Hiro heard shouting, and turned around to see twenty soldiers coming their way, armed with ropes and nets. Hiro withdrew his katana. 

Bin grabbed his shoulder. “Sire, these are your father’s troops – you can’t strike them down if you ever hope to remain in his good graces.”

You’re right,” Hiro winced and put the sword back into its case. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t slow them down.”

Hiro let go of his sword. Case and all, the katana lunged towards the soldiers and, under Hiro’s guidance, tripped and clotheslined them all.

At the top of the wall, Yuzuki dashed towards the main gate, on a path that led him through an unlit archer’s tower. Out of the shadows stepped an archer with a bow drawn back and an arrow ready to fire.

Yuzuki came to a halt with hands up. “It’s me – your crown prince.” A slow step into the moonlight revealed this. 

The archer lowered his weapon. “I’m…so sorry, my lord. My…nerves must have gotten the best of me.”

“That’s quite alright, soldier,” Yuzuki said. You’re just doing your job. I need your help. I want the gates open.”

“…We have strict orders to keep Prince Hiro and Captain Bin Taifuka from leaving the palace.”

“And I am giving you new orders.” Yuzuki put his hand on the archer’s shoulder and smiled. “Should you follow them, I’ll see to it that you are honored.”

In the courtyard, Hiro puppeteered his sword to delay the soldiers from moving in. “Still not open?” he yelled over his shoulder. 

Bin stopped pulling on the stable doors, and caught his breath. “It’s no use, Sire. They must be barred shut on the inside.”

“Give me some of your energy, I’ll bust them open.”

Bin flinched backwards. “You’ll do no such thing, sire! I may drop dead if you keep using me up!”

The conversation distracted Hiro, so his sword dropped to the ground. Now, nothing barred the soldiers from dashing across the courtyard.

“Sire…” Bin pointed, “…they’re getting closer…”

“Shhh…I’m thinking…” Hiro looked around, until he saw smoke coming from the stable’s roof. “Give me a lift. I’m going inside.” 

 Hiro stood on Bin’s hands. With a well-timed heave, Bin hoisted Hiro, and Hiro jumped up. The two forces were enough to propel Hiro on top of the stable. He scampered across the shingled roof, climbed up the clay chimney, and peaked inside. Seeing that he could fit, Hiro leapt inside.

Inside the stable, two bored, young trainers sat around a fireplace, using iron sticks to poke and prod at a few smoldering embers. One of the trainers sighed. “I mean sure, the benefits are great under the Howaito flag, I’m just concerned about the lack of upward mobility, and the room for growth. I mean, it’s -”

BOOOM - Hiro crashed into the fireplace, sending the two boys into a frenzied panic. As the trainers panicked, the ostriches in the stable panicked, too. Hiro rolled out of the fire and unlatched each of the stalls, sending spooked ostriches out into the stable’s main corridor. 

Outside, Bin put up his fists as the soldiers started to surround him. He looked over his shoulder, towards the stable doors. “Uhh…sire? Any update?”

“…Almost there…” Hiro yelled back. The ostriches pecked at Hiro as he pushed his way to the front of the stable. He covered his nose from the foul stench of bird droppings. Feathers floated through the air and whisked Hiro’s face, causing him to sneeze and puff up.  

Hiro reached the doors to the stable, where a large plank of wood barricaded them shut. He coughed, wheezed, and wiped his snot on his sleeve before lifting the wood out of place. “Hey, Bin?” he called out through a stuffy nose.

“Sire?” 

“You better get out of the way.”

The double doors gave way to a stampede of Songenese ostriches. While Bin rolled out of harm’s way, the unprepared Howaito soldiers were trampled. Hiro exited the stable on an ostrich covered in light armor. He tossed Bin a saddle and reins just before sneezing all over him.

“Get yourself one,” Hiro mumbled. He stretched his arm out and his katana zipped back to his hand. He checked the front wall. “Why isn’t the gate open?”

“How should I know?” Bin said as he wiped Hiro’s snot from his face. 

Hiro put two fingers into his mouth and whistled loud enough for the whole courtyard to hear.

 On the top of the wall, Yuzuki heard the whistle. He turned to the archer, gave a thumbs up, and the archer pulled down a crank lever. The main gate crept open.

After some bites and scratches, Bin finally managed to put a saddle on an ostrich. As he did, a group of soldiers rallied and surrounded both he and Hiro. 

When the front gate finally opened, the tower archer looked at Yuzuki brightly and bowed. “My lord, I hope you remember me someday…I hope I served you with honor and with grace.”

“Yes, you served me well. But…you know what?” Yuzuki tisked. “Unfortunately, you did point an arrow at me. That wasn’t very kind, now was it?” 

 Before the archer could react, Yuzuki twisted his arm, broke it, and flipped him off the backside of the wall. Yuzuki watched as the guard screamed and plummeted through the fog, towards the canyon floor.

“Sorry,” Yuzuki shrugged, “My nerves must have gotten the best of me.”

Another whistle screeched through the stiff cold. Yuzuki looked into the courtyard and saw twenty troops surrounding Hiro and Bin. “Guess I have to do everything myself,” he sighed before he leapt off the wall. 

As the agitated guards closed in, Hiro withdrew his katana from its wooden hoist. Bin gripped Hiro’s arm.

“No,” Bin said firmly, “Trust your brother.”

“I’ve been trusting him – look where it’s gotten us. Where is he?” Hiro whistled again, this time holding his whistle for as long as his lungs would allow, expelling every bit of air his reddened face could muster.

As Hiro whistled, the snow in the courtyard raised and twisted into a small tornado, tossing the troops to the outer edges of the courtyard. That’s when Hiro opened his eyes. He spun around in a dream-like trance, awed by the scattered troops. “…Did I do that?”

“I did,” Yuzuki said as he walked towards them. “But you’ll find a bond of your own soon enough. Of that, I’m sure.” He motioned over his shoulder to the opened gate. “You have everything you need, including a ride…I’m not sure there’s much more I can -”

Yuzuki’s speech was cut short, as Hiro leapt off his ostrich and hugged his brother. On one side of the hug, Hiro squeezed with an appreciative, almost tearful smile. On the other side, Yuzuki remained flat faced and contemplative. After a few taps on Hiro’s back, Yuzuki pulled away. “Have you decided if you’re taking gliders or a ship to Tochikasai?”

“A boat,” Hiro replied. “No way I’m getting on one of those death traps you call gliders.”

“Very well,” Yuzuki chuckled as he reached into his pocket. “You’ll need these.” He handed Hiro two weighty pouches filled with coins. “This should be more than enough to support your trip.”

“…I don’t know what to even say, Yuz. This is…” Hiro wiped his cheek. “It’s a lot. And here I thought you didn’t want anything but the worst for me.” 

“It’s what brothers are for,” Yuzuki patted Hiro on the cheek, just under his birthmark. “Oh, and before I forget, I wanted you to have something else.”

 Yuzuki reached into the collar of his shirt and removed a necklace – a thin gold chain with a semi-circle medallion on the end. The medallion’s carving of half a horse’s face filled Hiro with strange wonder.

“I have the other half back in my room,” Yuzuki said. “Promise me you’ll come back and return this half to me.”

Hiro smiled. “I promise.”

Hiro and Bin took to their ostriches, and with full hearts, waved goodbye to Yuzuki before riding into the blustery night. Yuzuki watched, waved, and smiled. As soon as Hiro and Bin disappeared into the hazy snowstorm, Yuzuki’s smile faded. He walked purposefully back to the palace.

Konimara stepped out from the shadows of the palace.  The scar jutting across his eye scrunched as he inquisitively looked at Yuzuki. “You seem upset.” 

“That was too much work.” Yuzuki mumbled as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small scroll. “Take this to the Sparrows. They’ll know what to do.”

Konimara secured the scroll, bowed, and walked towards the courtyard to grab an ostrich of his own.

“Oh, and Konimara?” Yuzuki called out.

“Yes, sire?”

Yuzuki lowered his voice. “I think it goes without saying that this stays between us.”