It was here, in the great city of Ujuni, on the outskirts of the kingdom of Ojrokawa, that Kairu had first heard the word Ronin. He was twenty years of age at the time.

He was returning to his birthplace after almost twenty years in exile. And as he stood there silently, the warm breeze gently danced around his long black hair, brushing past the lopped bun on the top of his head. As Kairu stood there motionless, gazing into thin air, the sight brought about a flood of memories and feelings.

It was almost noon when Kairu caught a glimpse of the city. The city he had once called home—a place of both his fondest and saddest memories.

Akima, his companion, had been urging him to hurry for days. "Kairu-san, we must reach the great hall of Emperor Gima as soon as possible! The ceremony is scheduled to begin in less than an hour." Kairu nodded silently, his mind still reeling from all he had seen on his return journey. He could still see the ruins of Ojrokawa in his mind's eye; the charred remains of villages and towns, the lifeless bodies of people who had once called this mighty kingdom home.

Kairu was in no hurry, though. "The Emperor can wait," he said as he looked away and glanced across the hill for a place to rest. Akima wanted to speak, but he knew his words would not change Kairu's mind.

*** *** ***

As they finally sat under the katsura tree—one of the last few left standing, Akima looked at Kairu.

"Kairu-san, I know you're not in a hurry, but we need to get moving if we want to make it to the great hall on time." Kairu sighed and just looked up. He could not remember the last time he had stood in the great hall. "It must have been the fall of 1401," Kairu silently thought. He recollected the bitter chill of the winds across his bare chest that day when he was stripped of his rank and forced into exile.

As noon started to turn into dusk, Akima could see the pain in Kairu's eyes, and he knew there was nothing he could say to make it all better. "Let's go." Kairu finally said as he stood up and offered his hand to Akima. The young man took it, and they started walking again.

*** *** ***

As they got closer to the palace stronghold, Kairu could feel the weight of Akima's stare. He knew what was coming, and he dreaded it. "Kairu-san, what happened to you here, in Ujuni, all those years ago?"

Kairu did not reply and kept walking silently as if he had not heard what Akima had said.

Akima thought to himself; it must have been terrible, for it's been so long, yet it seemed to be a part of him as if it happened yesterday. But he dared not ask the same question twice, not out of fear of stoking Kairu's anger, but because he knew when the time was right, and if Kairu would want to, he would tell him. And it seemed that now was not that time.