His Kikuta Hands

"His Kakuta Hands" was published in the anthology Blackguards: Tales of Assassins, Mercenaries, and Rogues. About this story, author Lian Hearn says, "'His Kikuta Hands' is set in Maruyama, the farthest city to the west in the Three Countries. It takes place behind the scenes of chapter five of Brilliance of the Moon. I'd always wanted to expand these pages where a lot happens in a short space of time. Takeo feels he must take on the Tribe and demonstrate the ruthlessness he will need to be a competent ruler. But the Tribe don't believe, firstly, that he knows where to find them and, secondly, that he will have the strength of will to deal with them. They are proven wrong."