The day was overcast and cold. Hopefully the chill weather would mean the castle guards would be less active. Rinzo shivered in his heavy kimono. He was dressed in the guise of a castle gardener, the better to avoid notice here at the 'water garden', on the hillside above the castle. He carried a rake and a hoe to supplement his disguise.
Set around a small artificial pond in a raised platform banked in stone, the garden consisted of a small sheltered platform overlooking the pond, a small arched decorative bridge set across the pond's runoff stream, and a small shrine made up of a stone lantern placed between two large rocks.
Approaching the garden carefully, Rinzo dropped his tools next to the pond. Making a slow circuit of the pond itself, Rinzo began to search carefully for any sign of the hidden castle gate.
A cursory check of the shrine quickly revealed that one of the large boulders beside the shrine was far lighter than it should have been. Under its coating of moss the stone turned out to be made of pumice and despite its size weighed less than 30 pounds. Rolling the rock aside with a minimum of effort, Rinzo noticed that it obviously hadn't been disturbed for a long time -- packed dirt fell away from the base when he moved it. Below the rock was a narrow hole with wooden rungs descending into darkness.
Ever cautious, Rinzo examined the wooden rungs closely before trying his weight on them. The first few seemed solid enough, but the rest were only loosely attached to the tunnel wall -- a person's weight would certainly break them off. Descending carefully, using almost nonexistent finger and toe-holds rather than the rungs, Rinzo saw that the shaft ended about twenty feet down in a bed of rusty but still nasty-looking spear blades. Anyone who tried to climb down those rungs would surely be slain by the spears or the fall. Rinzo quickly decided it was very unlikely that this was any sort of entrance.
Rinzo returned to the surface and started casting about in the garden, looking for anything unusual. He noticed that there was a large number of footprints around the bridge and the side of the pond near the bridge. Some of these footprints were partially obliterated, suggesting that someone had been sweeping at them in an attempt to cover their tracks. A further search revealed that the tracks went down to the water near the bridge.
The water under the little ornamental bridge was only about mid-calf in depth, but icy cold. Shivering slightly at the chill, Rinzo walked out into the water, watching his footing carefully. A fall here would be unpleasant at the least, and might attract unwanted attention. Looking under the little ornamental bridge Rinzo saw a dark opening. Stooping slightly, he entered, and after another few paces stepped out of the water.
Although the light was dim, Rinzo could plainly see plenty of footprints in the mud - both going and coming. Following the passage a little way to be sure it continued, Rinzo found that after a dozen paces the passage made a sharp right turn and went down with a series of stone steps. It was too dark to see more, but Rinzo could guess that this was about where the little artificial plateau holding the garden and lake ended.
Crouching at the top of the steps, Rinzo considered his options. To continue along the passage now was a foolish plan, for there was no light and he was unarmed as well. He would have to come back, armed and armored appropriately, accompanied by Yoshi. Although the huge youth would have a tight fit in the tunnel, he certainly could watch over the entrance until Rinzo's return.
Yoshi sat outside the bridge inn, eating a rice-ball and watching people walk by. The day was cold, and traffic was light.
"Hah, Yoshi, how goes it with you?"
The speaker was dressed as a farmer, smeared with dirt. He carried a hoe and rake over one shoulder. It took Yoshi a moment to realize that this was Rinzo.
"Uh, fine, .... farmer."
Rinzo grinned, leaning on his tools, "So, are you ready?"
"Ready? Uhhh, no. Well, it depends." Yoshi looked around, but nobody was near enough to hear them speaking. "I've got some armour hidden away," he whispered. "Will I need it?"
Rinzo thought a moment before replying. "Hopefully no, but we should get it just in case."
Yoshi nodded.
"Then follow me, Inohara the woodcutter needs someone to help carry his wood." Turning to leave, Rinzo held a out a long hoe to Yoshi, "Here, take this."
The night was dark and still as the pair made their way to the small garden above White Feather Castle. Pausing near the platform that held the water garden, Rinzo motioned for Yoshi to drop his enormous load of wood and bamboo. Setting his burden down as well, Rinzo quickly discarded his outer kimono, revealing the harness of an Arai ashigaru. Reaching into the bundled length of sticks he pulled out a tachi. He thrust the weapon into his obi. A few moments later and several other pieces of wood had been fashioned into simple torches.
Turning to Yoshi, Rinzo saw that the large youth had removed one of the faggots from his pack. It was crudely made, but long and stout, a staff as thick as Rinzo's wrist. Rinzo shook his head in amazement -- the weapon was longer than he was tall, although it looked right in Yoshi's huge hand. Yoshi also had put on the simple hara-ate okashi gosuko of an Arai ashigaru.
"Yoshi," Rinzo whispered as he indicated the water garden, "I'm going to enter through there. You stay here until I call for you. If I'm not back by morning, leave here and return to town." Pausing, Rinzo looked at Yoshi directly, his face serious, "Don't come after me."
Yoshi frowned. "If you get in trouble, I could help. I'm coming with you."
Now it was Rinzo's turn to frown. "Yoshi, you're the biggest person anyone in this town has ever seen, people in the castle will know that you don't belong. Me, I can pass for a common ashigaru, but you'll be recognized immediately as a newcomer."
Yoshi crossed his arms. "What if there are guards in the tunnel? Will you tell them you are a common ashigaru wandering in the secret tunnel?"
Rinzo spread his hands. "Yoshi, you have big feet. Big loud feet. If there are guards, you might alert them. I can be much more silent than you."
Yoshi grimaced, but couldn't find an easy response. "All right. But if you aren't back in an hour or two, I will come and get you.
It was significantly less than an hour before Rinzo reappeared. Dropping a spent torch on the ground, he sat down with a great sigh of disgust. "It's useless Yoshi, this may be a secret entrance to the castle, but it's also a maze down there. If we're going to be serious about getting in this way, we'll need a lot more time to prepare."
Yoshi nodded.
"Anyway, I did find something out something useful. It looks like a lot of people have been through here recently, and someone tried to wipe the tracks away..." Looking over at Yoshi, Rinzo gave him wry smile, "We can hope that some of the Lord's loyal retainers escaped before the castle fell, neh?"
Yoshi looked away. "Maybe." He looked back at Rinzo, "But then, where are they?"