With great frustration Ikita dismounted from the horse. The animal had come to a near stop and proceeded to walk with great pain everytime it's left front foot hit the ground. Perhaps, it had picked up a stone in it's hoof or suffered from a shin split. The inexperienced infantry man had no idea why the animal limped and he didn't have to time investigate further. At first he led the animal behind him, but then he chose to just the let mare fend for itself as he jogged towards his destination.

What more could go wrong? Hana began to cry. The drug that was meant to free her, not kill Toritofu. Surely she would pay now. Killing one's lord must carrying a high price. Maybe he could live, but how could she know? She decided to put the cups back on the cart and to conceal the empty vial back in her garment. Not knowing what else to do, she opened the door seeking help. Two guards stood watch.

"Please, h-h-help me", she stuttered, "something is wrong with Lord Toritofu", the girl pleaded with the guard.

Nearby courtiers and aides couldn't help but overhear the girl (it was their business after all to know everything that took place in that room). Obviously, their ruler was either sick or dead, because of the plague -- the plague that this girl carried. After all, why didn't Fujita come to deliver this plea? He must be dead already.

The commotion was only beginning. Just as the guards went into to investigate Ikita arrived. Exhausted and disoriented, he rushed up to the Hana, at first believing that she was a servant. Behind her, one of the young men that was with the courtiers rushed over to the paddock to get a horse. Several others ran off to another building.

"I must see Toritofu and warn him of the plague", the soldier panted.

Not realizing that Ikita was talking to her, Hitohana simply walked past the man in a daze. From several feet away a court servant directed him to immediatly enter the building. As he did so, several men closed the door behind him and did what they could to barricade it shut.

Another courtier called out from behind the girl, pointing to the approaching horse, "Please, child, take this horse and return to your home. No harm will come to you if you leave right now".

Just as he ended speaking, a young man left a saddled horse in the open area, between the paddock and the building she just left. He cloaked his face with cloth in hopes of warding off any disease she might carry. He quickly moved away, not wanting to come in contact with the plague stricken girl.

After a few more words of encouragement Hitohana finally mounted the mare. Although she was unaccustomed to riding, the well trained animal responded to the new rider and carried her away from the estate.

Inside the building Ikita surrendered his life to his own blade, seeing that he had failed his lord. The two guards raced for the door to tell the others of Toritofu's death. Back in the compound men and women ran towards the building with torches and kindling. Several soldiers attempted to impede them, but they quickly joined in as some of the courtiers convinced them of the danger that they faced. Meanwhile, the smoke quickly squelched the shouts and pleas of the two guards inside. Although they pounded relentlessly, no one wanted to share in the plague that the two guards surely carried. And since they were going to die any way, the people reasoned, their death would not be upon their hands. Perhaps, a proper pyre would have been more fitting for Toritofu, but this would fire would have to do. Protocol has a way falling apart when enough greedy and selfish people realize it may be their lives sacrificed to keep the finer points of the social code.

It took several hours of slow riding, but Hitohana finally made it home. Her mother and Tora greeted her with hugs, kisses and tears. She cried when hearing of her father's death, but took some comfort in knowing that her mother, brother and friends remained safe. The elders of the village took some quiet pleasure in hearing Hana's tale. Although they feared retribution from Toritofu's men it never came. The mysterioius plague had brought a veil of protection to this village, that they would never fully understand. With the weight of servanthood removed from this people, they began to prosper and grow on their own. After a time, many of them would even break the caste that the fates had laid upon them. Perhaps that is what the fates had intended all along. But that's another story...

The End