Tear Bridge: The Tragedy of Kureyasawa (1)

After seeing off the party of the Midaidokoro as they departed for Sukagawa, Zushonosuke stood blankly for a while.
It is only about half a ri from Wada to Sukagawa. A distance that would normally be easy to travel felt infinitely far away. Looking up, the sturdy ramparts of Sukagawa Castle could be seen vaguely at the top of the Sukagawa hill.
Riku was still shedding bitter tears. Just like his wife's tears, raindrops began to fall from the sky. The raindrops quickly gained intensity, and the wind suddenly grew stronger. Furthermore, lightning flashed in the sky and thunder roared.
(The heavens are angry...)
Even Zushonosuke could not help but feel that way.
Just then, there was a violent knocking on the front gate again. It must be an emergency. Regardless of the wind and rain, when Zushonosuke opened the door, he saw the bloodshot faces of Tobei and Ando Samanosuke.
"Zushonosuke!"
"What is it?"
Zushonosuke's voice also tensed at the unusual demeanor of the two.
"Put on your armor immediately. At Kureyasawa, the men of Wada have been cut down by the Sukagawa forces."
"That's impossible!"
It had not even been half an hour since they had welcomed Princess Michiyo's party into this house and sent them off.
However, despite the situation being hard to believe, Zushonosuke quickly took his armor out of the chest and put it on efficiently.
"Lord Utanokami and Lord Yabe Iyonokami have already headed to Kureyasawa. You hurry too."
"Understood."
While nodding at Tobei's words, he had Riku help him tie the haidate (thigh guards) to his thighs and the sune-ate (shin guards) to his shins. Once he had put on his yugake (archery gloves) and kote (armored sleeves) and felt the heavy weight increase, he donned his helmet. Over that, he threw on a jinbaori (surcoat).
While Zushonosuke was putting on his armor, Tobei quickly explained the situation—.

The messenger sent to return Princess Michiyo to Sukagawa was Munakata Etchu-no-kami. From the Wada side, which had decided on Princess Michiyo's divorce, a messenger had been sent to Sukagawa Castle in advance, and the place and time for the handover had been specified. A small stream called Kureyasawa flows on the border between the territories of Sukagawa and Wada. It was arranged that the handover of the princess would take place at the Iwama Fudo standing by that stream.
Munakata Etchu-no-kami is a local warrior close to the Suda clan. However, he has been in this area for a long time and is also an acquaintance of the people of Sukagawa. For that reason, he was chosen as the messenger to send the princess.
However, perhaps he was relatively close to the princess among the Wada group. In his heart, he was sympathetic to Princess Michiyo, who had agreed to the divorce while weeping, and it is said that he offered words of comfort to the princess in the palanquin at the foot of Iwama.
"Princess. Our bond of eternal love was not long, but parting with you makes my heart feel as if it is withering. Our connection ends here, but I will never forget you."
Come to think of it, Zushonosuke remembered that Munakata Etchu-no-kami was one of those who had attended the flower banquet. He bit his lip, wishing how good it would have been if the happiness of that time had continued.
When the Wada party was waiting at Iwama Fudo, the Sukagawa forces, who were the recipients, appeared. As it would be bad if a battle broke out, the Wada forces headed to the meeting place in plain clothes so as not to provoke the Sukagawa forces. However, Jibu-no-taifu, who was furious upon hearing of the princess's divorce, had secretly issued an order to the Sukagawa forces to "cut down every single one of the Wada forces." The procession consisted mainly of those who had accompanied the princess's marriage, and the Wada men were only a few, such as Munakata, Shidomi Hannai, and Shishikusa Yoichiro.
The person who appeared as the messenger for the Sukagawa side was a man named Taga Hachiro, who was also an acquaintance of Munakata. Therefore, it cannot be denied that Munakata was caught off guard.
"You are from Sukagawa, I presume. Please accept the princess's palanquin."
The moment Munakata stated this, it is said that the Sukagawa forces, who had been hiding in the shadows of the trees on the mountain, fired arrows from all directions.
"We've been deceived!"
Hannai's scream was also drowned out by the wind and rain. Hannai and Shishikusa Yoichiro did not take a step back, trying at least to protect the Midaidokoro, but they were outnumbered. They immediately became prey to the Sukagawa forces' bows and arrows and died. It is said that the foot soldiers who saw this abandoned the palanquin and fled—.

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