A number of guards stood on the other side of the hedge. Normally, Katsumi would have dispatched them without hesitation, but there was another man there-Tochigi Kiyoshi.
Tochigi Kiyoshi was the strongest member of the Tochigi clan, rivals of Katsumi's clan. The guards surrounded her, and ordered her to surrender. If she was taken prisoner, she would almost certainly be executed. Against the man who stood before her, however, there would be no doubt whatsoever- she would be either killed or captured. She wasn't ready to go against this opponent.
Katsumi quietly raised her hands. A guard on either side quickly swooped in, grabbing an arm and holding it behind her back while a third guard tied her wrists. Once her wrists were tied, she was forced to her knees and her mask was taken off.
Tochigi Kiyoshi merely smiled at her. Princess Takara, now untied, circled around to face Katsumi. She appeared quite angry, but also- well, eager. She motioned to two of the guards, speaking to them in a confident, but slightly angry voice. “See that Tochigi is taken care of. He has my deepest gratitude.”
As Tochigi and the two guards walked away, Princess Takara reached down to pull Katsumi's chin up so that she could get a good look at her face. “She is very beautiful,” she said, looking the bound ninja's body over. “Take her and follow me.” |