章 283: Accident

It had rained mere minutes ago. A light shower, but it was enough to refresh the stale summer air. Gengyo wandered the empty streets under the night's sky in a simple kimono, just like what a merchant might wear. His hand had been tended to and stitched and they had given him herbs for the pain, but still there was that dull throbbing and at times he could have sworn his hand was still attached.

He whistled a tune softly to himself, stepping his way across the slick stones. He recalled how quickly his men had come once they had found out his return. How quickly his inner circle had learned of his injury and how volatile their reactions were.

Matsudaira had come first, bursting into the room he was being treated in. He had given his Grand General a friendly smile, but the man ignored it and continued to look aghast.

"How..?" He'd said, his words coming out as no more than a whisper.