Chapter 5 Suruga 5-2 Have they arrived?
Sakura rubbed her eyes. She didn’t know how many days the horse carriage has traveled, nor how she fell asleep against the bale of hale in the carriage. There was a stream of light by the door, and she could tell very little grains have been used. The horse drivers were mean; they only knew how to work the horses to death and didn’t even feed the animals properly.
She looked outside, the carriage has stopped outside a manor and there was no sound of anyone around. She could use the chance to get out of the carriage. With the glaring sunlight, it took her a while to see the name “Suruga” on the entrance of the cla.s.sic manor.
“Stop! Who do you think you are? You can’t just walk in!” A warrior guarding the entrance marched forward to stop Sakura, who was ambling inside without a care in the world.
“I work for Lord Takeda n.o.butora, who asked me to visit Madam Takeda. No need to be so harsh.” Sakura wanted to make her way inside the manor, so she made up a lie.
The warrior seemed shocked, then he pushed her. “So what if you’re from the Takeda family? We had visitors from Suwa in the morning, and they stayed at the inn too. You look like a beggar, you think you can just come in?”
“Hey, did you push me? Do you think you’re the G.o.d of the door? Don’t forget my lord is your lord’s father-in-law, and rumor has it Lord Imagawa Yoshimoto is a gentle and cultured man, who’d think his underlings are --”
Imagawa Yoshimoto, I guess I would just have to compliment you a bit. Sakura mused. The leader of Suruga, Imagawa Yoshimoto, was portrayed as very chubby in history books. The Duke-style clothes he wore probably made him look like Yae, that mean maid of Lady Sanjō’s. If Sakura didn’t want to make n.o.butora go away soon, she’d never want to see another white-powdered face like that again.
“Do you want a beating?!”
Just as the warrior was ready to pull his sword, a lazy male voice came from behind Sakura. “Did you want to color the sakura flowers in Suruga with your blood, or are you honoring the sakura G.o.ds with your life?”
It was incredible these tough words came from such a mild voice. She was tempted to flash a “V” sign at the speaker. She turned to see who it was and came face to face with the man, and Sakura was so shocked her mouth couldn’t close for a bit. The man was a few years older than Harun.o.bu; dressed in white hunting clothes with pale purple sleeves, he was slowly closing a sakurprinted fan. His clothes fluttered slightly in the wind. Even though he was dressed in the Duke style, he didn’t wear makeup nor draw his eyebrows. He didn’t look like a real person, resembling more like a character in a manga novel. Even though Sakura wasn’t obsessed with good-looking men, she was still a little fl.u.s.tered by his gorgeous face.
“Lord, please forgive me. This girl was trying to break in, that was why I had to...”
“It’s fine, let her come in. I don’t want people from Kai to say our Imagawas lack manners.” Said the man in white. He smiled at her before motioning her to follow him.
Sakura had no doubt this man was Imagawa Yoshimoto, the head of Suruga. She just never thought the man was this handsome.
What a wonderful scent... As soon as she walked inside the manor, she could smell a fragrance. Sakura was dazzled by the fields of cherry blossom and plum trees. If there wasn’t a brisk wind now and then, she’d think this was Spring. It was the first time she has seen a lavish estate in j.a.pan like in ancient China. The trees, pavilions, ponds, and paG.o.das made the place seem like another realm. Compared to Tsutsujigasaki in Kai, this was heavenly. She closed her eyes tightly, then opened them again to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.
“Akino, take her to change and then to see the madam.” Yoshimoto walked leisurely toward what looked like a reception room, as he turned to give a maid orders.
“Lord, I...I actually wasn’t here to see the madam, I came here to see you.”
“Oh?” Yoshimoto squinted his almond-shaped eyes. “But if you did come here to see me, you still need to change. Do people just come inside with dusty clothes at Kai?”
“Yes, Lord.”
Sakura agreed with resignation as she followed the maid to go change. Kai had a lot fewer rules than Suruga. At least, she’d be able to go inside right away. The so-called rules of the upper cla.s.s were probably only followed by people of the Imagawa family in this tumultuous war-torn era.
“You said you were a maid for Takeda Harun.o.bu, and was here to deliver a message for him?”
Sakura observed Yoshimoto’s expression while kneeling across from him. So far, he didn’t seem to be wary towards her.
“Yes, Lord. My young lord’s message is, Lord Takeda n.o.butora plans to come and stay here for a long time, and wanted you to prepare.”
“When did my Suruga estate become a place for in-laws to stay?”
“Did you know the two lords don’t get along?”
“They don’t? They came to see my wife a while back, but Harun.o.bu wasn’t feeling well, so he didn’t come inside at the same time as n.o.butora. Too bad I missed seeing him that time. Although, the way you describe it, everything was planned by my father-in-law.” Yoshimoto shook his fan gently and changed his gaze.