Chapter Text
It was a dry summer day when he met him, that mysterious swordsman with the wooden arms. There was something that gave Tahomaru pause as he rode his horse through the countryside, seeing an armed peasant strolling around with such impunity.
He’d intended to teach him a lesson, scare him off from wearing a sword that’d he’d obviously picked up from a battlefield. After all, how could a man with no real arms be much of a threat?
He hadn’t expected to lose so quickly. He did not expect to be knocked flat on his back. And he definitely did not expect the stranger to look so indifferent at the fact he’d defeated the son of a samurai lord.
For a moment all Tahomaru could see was red, followed by visions of this stranger’s head freshly rolling off the executioner’s block. This was an insult to the extreme!
He was about to signal his retainers to strike him down, but something in this stranger’s serene yet melancholy face gave him pause. There was something about his face, about his demeanor, that made Tahomaru hesitate. There was a voice in his head, the goddess of temperance that spoke in the same voice as his mother’s. Does a samurai lord let pride rule his actions?
He did not signal for the stranger’s death. Instead he dusted himself off and looked him square into those glassy eyes. He waved his hand down at his companions, so they would point their arrows down instead of the swordsman’s neck. Hyogo and Mutsu un-nocked their arrows, but they kept their bows.
“Hm, you gave me more trouble than I expected. Impressive, for a peasant. Who are you?”
The stranger did not answer, but instead touched his hand to his chest as if he was unsure if he was the one being addressed.
“Yes, you . Who else!” Tahomaru’s temper was rising again. He would not be mocked!
“That there is Hyakkimaru, the greatest demon hunter in all of Japan!”
His attention turned to the child standing on a grassy ridge, a boy a tattered kimono crossing his arms in a defiant way. Tahomaru had the distinct impression that the boy had climbed on that ridge specifically so he could look down on them. He considered replying to the child but then decided he was beneath his notice. A peasant who was capable dueler was unusual, a loud mouthed brat was not.
“Hyakkimaru, is that your name?” The swordsman nodded.
“Very well. I am Tahomaru of the Daigo clan, you better remember that! My father rules this land. I’m letting you walk away today because you intrigue me. We will fight again!”
Hyakkimaru still did not answer, but there was the softest hint of an acknowledgement in his throat. Tahomaru did not take his eyes off his new nemesis the entire time he was mounting his horse and taking off and neither did Hyakkimaru. Later that evening, Hyogo asked him why he had spared the peasant’s life instead of killing him on the spot.
“I didn’t feel like it.” Was the best answer he could give.
The second time they met was one Tahomaru would rather forget. He was riding again, but this time he wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings. His mind was preoccupied in the war and with the new responsibilities he would be having when he was allowed to join. He wanted to impress his father, so he wanted to have ideas and plans at the ready to show his worth. Assuming all the peasants from the land of Sakai were spies and interrogating them is a huge waste of time and resources. But stringing them up against the border wall and executing them would send a message….
This was how Tahomaru was not prepared to hang on at all when his horse got spooked by a snake and reared up without warning. He immediately lost his balance and toppled backwards. He did not have time to be surprised that he fell into water instead of hitting the ground because he immediately started panicking. He did not know how to swim! He trashed his arms and legs wildly, noticing with extreme alarm that his feet did not touch the bottom of the river. Had the recent rain swollen the river so much so quickly? That’s why the river is so much closer to the road than usual. He coughed water out of his mouth and nose and wondered why his brain was focusing on that instead of not dying.
He was trying to orient himself to the shore when some force grabbed him by the back of his collar and dragged him to bank. He stopped struggling and allowed himself to be pulled backwards until the felt the comforting texture of the hard dirt on his back. He breathed deeply, glad to be alive and turned to look at his saviour. He jumped into a sitting position when he realized it was Hyakkimaru.
“...meet again.” His voice was raspy, almost as if he was unused to talking. Tahomaru had expected his voice to be quiet and direct.
“What, is that all you have to say? I suppose you’re after some sort of reward for helping me, well you’re not going to get any! And where the devil were you two!” Now that he was safe, Tahomaru felt the embarrassment of what just happened catching up to him. Slightly red-faced, he scolded his retainers for not helping him, threatening them with dismissing them or telling his father of their careless breach on his safety.
“Are you serious about the no reward thing? Boy, you are stingy!”
Tahomaru was interrupted mid-rant by that same urchin from before. He looked at the boy, incredulous that a commoner would have the gall to speak to him like that. That he had the arrogance to speak to him at all. And yet here he was, standing before him, with an insolent smile on his face. Did this young boy not fear death?
“Shut your mouth, churl!” It was Hyogo that reacted first, getting off his horse and grabbing Dororo by the collar. Tahomaru guessed he was trying to make up for nearly letting him drown.
“Aniki just saved your master! I think we deserve a reward!” Dororo aimed some ineffective kicks to Hyogo’s shin, mostly to show his defiance.
“I said be quiet!” Hyogo roughly threw Dororo on the ground, intending to strike him. But before either of them could move, a wooden hand closed on Hyogo’s wrist. In the blink of an eye, Hyakkimaru had put himself between Dororo and Hyogo.
“Don’t .”
It was just a word, and yet it carried a distinct threat in it. Hyogo looked unnerved, but he did not retreat. His free hand launched to grab the hilt of his sword.
Frowning, Tahomaru closed his eyes and waved at Hyogo. “Leave him, there’s no sport in beating a child.” Hyogo let go of his sword at the same time Hyakkimaru let go of his wrist. The tension in the air was eased and Tahomaru saw Mutsu lowering her bow.
Hyakkimaru looked at Tahomaru, though it was hard to read on his face if he was expectant or wary; but he clearly knew that Tahomaru called the shots. It was kind of impressive how he managed to look so brazen and aloof despite being soaked like a wet cat.
“...I suppose I could give you some compensation, despite you only helping me for personal gain.” He put his fingers on his chin. “There’s a regiment of my clan’s army stationed not too far from here, they can give you dry clothes and some food.”
“You’re giving us a ride, right?” The impertinent child was up, still smirking arrogantly but now staying behind Hyakkimaru.
“I am most certainly not .”
“Why not? You’re soaked too! You’re heading the same way and you owe Aniki for saving your life. Let’s ride together!”
Tahomaru gaped again at the cheekiness of this peasant, it was simply unbelievable. How was he still alive? He brushed his wet hair out of his face and despite himself, considered what the brat said. He did not want to live with the knowledge that he was in the debt of a peasant and the soldiers at the garrison might not believe their story.
“...Mutsu, let the pint-size fleabag ride with you.”
“But young master-!”
“That’s an order!”
He mounted his own horse, ignoring the beast’s snorts in protest of his soggy clothes. He was about to snap the reins to go to a trot when the horse snorted again and shifted to accommodate the weight of a second rider. Tahomaru nearly fell off his horse again when he saw Hyakkimaru had mounted behind him.
“What do you think you’re doing! ”
“Ride.”
“Yes, with Hyogo ! Get off my horse this instant!”
Hyakkimaru shrugged casually. “Already here.”
For the second time Tahomaru saw red in his vision and he nearly let go of the reins to grab his sword. But he was cold, soaked to the bone and extremely uncomfortable. His whole body screamed that getting into dry clothes was more important that cutting down a rude peasant. Glaring at Hyakkimaru, he snapped the reins for the horse go forward.
“Once we have dry clothes, we’re dueling again!” He snarled, turning to the road and urging his horse into a gallop.
“Alright.” Did he imagine it or was Hyakkimaru’s response rather merry?