My Edo-Era Harem

Soon, I heard Takumi's voice. "I've prepared everything for the journey tomorrow, master."

I managed to open my eyes. "What journey?"

"If you recall, you have to swear your loyalty to the daimyo, now that you're the head of the household," he replied.

Shit… That's true… Damn those samurai customs…

Each head of a samurai household had to pledge their loyalty to the daimyo, the ruler of the Shinano province. The daimyo, in turn, was a loyal vassal to the shogun and ruled the province by the shogun's mandate.

So now I had to drag myself all the way to the daimyo's castle in Matsumoto City. A journey that takes at least half a day.

Well, that's in the morning…

"Yes, I remember," I said. "I count on you to wake me up on time, Takumi. It might be harder than you think. And now – good night," and I instantly fell asleep.

I slept like a baby after releasing myself into Haruko. I felt totally satisfied after being rough with her, after emptying myself like an animal. I was still half-asleep as Takumi and my servant Haruto helped me get ready in the early morning, and only when I was on the horse in the cold breeze of the outdoors did I become wide awake.

The sun was just rising, and the hills on either side of our path were steeped in mist. The views around me were breathtaking. It reminded me how long I'd been cooped up inside my new home, missing out on nature's beauty.

Takumi and Haruto trailed me on their horses as we rode through a magnificent valley on our way to the nearest town. From there, through the vast farmlands, a wide road led to Matsumoto City, where we arrived in the early afternoon.

The daimyo's castle was very impressive – the stone walls, the carvings on the windows, the keep in the inner courtyard. Clearly he was rich, this man…

The daimyo himself met me in the ceremonial room. He was far less impressive than his castle. A rather short, squarely built, man in his early fifties, which made him, for the times, a very old man.

My guess was that he didn't see himself in the same light as I, because he stood proudly with his tummy jutting out, clad in body armor decorated with his family crest. He held his head high and haughty, gazing at me as if he hadn't gone to the bathroom for a very long time.

As Takumi instructed me beforehand, I knelt before him and bowed deeply.

"Taro-dono," the man said pretty pompously, "It's a pleasure to greet you in my home."

I returned his greeting.

"I'm happy to welcome you on a such a special day," he continued.

He spoke at length about duty, loyalty, and such.

I gazed at him, hoping that he'd be done soon. Several other men stood behind him, in ceremonial kimonos, each wearing a katana at his side.

"Are you ready to take your oath?" the daimyo asked finally.

"I am, my lord," I said, trying to keep my voice loud and steady, "I swear my loyalty to you and to the Tokugawa Shogunate. I shall protect the lands entrusted to me and uphold my duties as a loyal vassal."

The daimyo gestured toward the ceremonial katana on a wooden table in front of me. "Then take the sword, Taro-dono. It is a representation of the life and death of your fealty. Use it to protect the people of your domain and to honor the trust I place in you."

I took the sword in my hands. It was cold and heavy. I touched the edge – it was sharp. As they say, you could kill with it.

"Rise, Taro-dono," the daimyo said, his voice softer now. "Now that you're my loyal subject, let us feast and get to know each other."

We moved to the next room, where we ate and drank. The more the daimyo drank the friendlier he got.

"I knew your father well," he said, nodding. "He was raised by his father to be a good warrior. Of course, nowadays the great traditions of war are almost forgotten. In the past, samurai fought side by side, they travelled together for long campaigns."

He gestured at the men around us. "But now, we've only known the times of peace. The warriors of today aren't brothers the way they once were. If we're not brothers, how can we retain a samurai's spirit?"

The daimyo's arrogance gradually gave way to the warmth of the old man. He still carried himself with an air of superiority, but his demeanor became well-meaning, almost fatherly. I guess I should've known my father to judge, but that's what it felt like to me.

After the meal, we moved into yet another room. Only two other men remained with us.

"For example, look at Isamu," he slurred, passing me a cup of sake. "He was made your father's apprentice. But he didn't get to spend much time with him and become close with him."

I looked at the young man about my age he was talking about. He was tall, well-dressed, and very good-looking. His high cheekbones and strong jawline were softened by a smooth, fair complexion. He had a straight nose and deep, dark eyes.

"In the old days, your father would teach him everything he could on the first campaign together," the daimyo continued. "They would fight together, they would sleep together. The apprentice would learn from the teacher's wisdom and from the strength of his body. He'd partake their essence to gain the true spirit of the samurai."

Wait, what? He said "essence", right?

Takumi told me about samurai initiating their apprentices in private, but was that what he meant?

"Now that you've replaced your father and become a landed samurai, Taro-dono, I declare Isamu to be your apprentice," the daimyo said, slapping me on the shoulder. "So let's drink to that before we train our apprentices."