One of history’s most amazing armies is born And its soldiers wear silk robes Lady Mochizuki Chiyome is mired in grief. Recently widowed by Japan’s endless civil war, she has become tired of mourning, tired of wearing the white robes that are the traditional Japanese garb of grief. On the road, she encounters two young women who open her eyes to a whole new purpose in life—and a new way to end Japan's century of bloodshed. This is the first of six Kunoichi Companion Tales, prequel stories to David Kudler’s historical novel Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale (amzn.com/B01FPWWCNA) White Robes—Mired in her own grief, Lady Mochizuki Chiyome encounters two young women who give her a whole new, much more interesting opportunity Silk & Service—A young Takeda warrior meets a servant who is much more than she seems (coming soon!) Ghost—When Lady Chiyome receives a note from the shōgun, she finds that the messenger is much more intriguing than the message Shining Boy—Plucked off of the streets of the capital, an orphan girl tries to figure out what story she's wandered into Blade—Toumi doesn't want anyone messing with her business Little Brother—Returning to the monastery turns out to be as hard as leaving it was

Not all assassins wear black Some come wearing silk A young Takeda warrior meets a servant who is much more than she seems. And teaches him what a warrior truly can be. This is the second of six Kunoichi Companion Tales, prequel stories to David Kudler’s historical novel Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale (amzn.com/B09LY5ZYVP) White Robes—Mired in her own grief, Lady Mochizuki Chiyome encounters two young women who give her a whole new, much more interesting opportunity Silk & Service—A young Takeda warrior meets a servant who is much more than she seems (coming soon!) Ghost—When Lady Chiyome receives a note from the shōgun, she finds that the messenger is much more intriguing than the message Shining Boy—Plucked off of the streets of the capital, an orphan girl tries to figure out what story she's wandered into Blade—Toumi doesn't want anyone messing with her business Little Brother—Returning to the monastery turns out to be as hard as leaving it was Extract: “Get my purse, boy!” growled Captain Oniyama, “And more sake!” Masugu watches the girl appear as if from out of the floor to pour the rice wine into the captain's cup: smooth gait, smooth hair, smooth— “Boy! My purse!” Masugu shakes himself, blushing, and leaps to his feet. “Yes, Oniyama-sama!” The captain is usually patient and polite, but at these regular mahjong games with the other Imagawa commanders, he drinks. And Masugu doesn't like being around him when he's drunk. Doesn't like watching him lose at games. Also, the girl...

_A chance encounter behind enemy lines _A Risuko prequel short story Mieko is waiting at a rendezvous behind enemy lines. In the rain. Without a hat. The person who comes up the road is the last person she expected to encounter. Preview: Mieko wanted to leave. She was waiting on a worn stone shrine beneath a dripping red pine. Rain was falling, and she had been waiting here, slowly getting wet, since the clouds had sloshed in around midday. She and Kuniko had split, Mieko searching the area on the south side of the valley while Kuniko searched in the village on the north side. They were looking for young Sachi and Hoshi, the two newest kunioichi, who were supposed to have checked in from their mission at dawn. Mieko wasn’t worried—not really. Kuniko was more than capable of taking care of herself, and Sachi and Hoshi weren’t stupid. Their mission was a fairly simple one: wander up to Tiptown, where the Uesugi commander kept the headquarters for this part of the province, and see if any of the soldiers might let something slip to a couple of pretty girls. It was a mission that Mieko and Kuniko could have done in their sleep—had done more than once—but it seemed like a good, straightforward test for the two younger girls. The two newly initiated kunoichi. But they were behind enemy lines, and they hadn’t arrived at the rendezvous at the roadside shrine this morning. And while Mieko had wanted to charge up to Tiptown to make sure the girls were safe, Kuniko had sensibly pointed out that they had probably just lost track of time or gotten turned around. And so she had suggested that they split up and search this part of the valley before heading into the enemy’s stronghold. They’d agreed to meet up on the main road at this battered old shrine to some nameless forest god. They’d agreed to meet at the hour of the horse—noon, which would give them plenty of daylight to make their way to Tiptown, if they had to. And Mieko had quickly confirmed that no, Sachi and Hoshi weren’t at either of the forest shrines further off the road, nor at any of the farms that dotted the southern side of the valley. And then she’d returned to their meeting point and, as the rain began to fall, she waited. And waited. She wanted to leave, but she couldn’t. She was waiting for Kuniko. And Sachi and Hoshi. Mieko sighed, wiping the drizzle from her eyelashes. She should have worn a hat. A movement to her left startled her —

When eternity comes to visit A Hojo commander is delighted when two pretty young shrine maidens enter his camp on the evening before a battle. Perhaps he shouldn’t have been. A Risuko prequel story showing Mieko and Kuniko on a mission—at their sweetest and at their most deadly. _Sugi wasn’t given to fancies. He was a good Buddhist; the old gods and spirits had never interested him much. But \[…\] these two girls, in their miko garb, standing on the edge of what would be a battlefield the next day, popping up like wild mushrooms—they gave him exactly the same feeling. The feeling that he was face to face with the eternal. It was not an easy feeling. He smiled to cover his discomfort. “Young ladies, how may I help you? This is not a place for such lovely girls.” Biting her lip, the delicate one glanced over to the tall one, who gave an impassive nod. Apparently reassured, the smaller girl turned back to Sugi, her eyes decorously downcast. “My lord general, sir. We didn’t mean to be here. We’re on our way from Estuary to the shrine at Picnic Lake. We were told by the priest to follow the road up that valley, there.” She tipped her head past the Takeda garrison. “Those soldiers over there, they were… not very nice.” The tall, square-faced girl gave a grunt and scowled. “Took our food.” “I’m sorry to hear that,” said Sugi, solemnly. He lifted his chin. “Would you lovely ladies care to join me and my soldiers for our evening meal?” The smaller, prettier girl held a hand in front of her mouth. “Oh. My lord. We could not —” “I insist. And you shall sleep in my tent. I will… guard the door.” He gave a slight bow. Since, after all, they were spirits. The pretty girl started to object, but the bigger one put her hand on the other’s shoulder. “We’re hungry.” “Of course, my dears. I am sure my soldiers would be delighted to have you join them this evening.” In his mind, Sugi could see these two young beauties (well, one beauty, the other… handsome), laughing and singing with his soldiers on this, the night before their legendary victory. It would become part of his fame. And perhaps… He smiled at his own runaway imagination. “Come. It smells as if the supper will soon be ready.”_

Mochizuki Chiyome wants someone dead And someone wants to serve her At a banquet to celebrate a new alliance, Chiyome contemplates murder, and discovers a new servant. This is the third of six Kunoichi Companion Tales, prequel stories to David Kudler’s historical novel Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale. White Robes—Mired in her own grief, Lady Mochizuki Chiyome encounters two young women who give her a whole new, much more interesting opportunity Silk & Service—A young Takeda warrior meets a servant who is much more than she seems (coming soon!) Ghost—At a banquet to celebrate a new alliance, Chiyome contemplates murder, and discovers a new servant Shining Boy—Plucked off of the streets of the capital, an orphan girl tries to figure out what story she's wandered into Blade—Toumi doesn't want anyone messing with her business Little Brother—Returning to the monastery turns out to be as hard as leaving it was

Assassination. Espionage. Theft. Across the ages, the headmistresses of three very unusual schools (along with their very unusual students) share a meal. Lady Mochizuki Chiyome plays host to two of the only women who can understand why she teaches young women to do very unladylike things. Like her, Locusta the Poisoner and Ma Mandelbaum run schools for very particular students gifted with very particular talents. Inspired by a conversation with Mackenzi Lee, author of Bygone Badass Broads, this short historical fantasy explores what would happen if three of history's most bloodthirsty schoolmistresses had been able to share a (very carefully checked) meal.

Meet Lady Chiyome’s Army of “Deadly Blossoms” — Before Risuko Does! After a century of brutal civil war has torn Japan apart, Lady Mochizuki Chiyome gathers together the most unlikely army imaginable to unite the empire and bring an end to the an army of girls clad in the red and white garb of miko, shrine maidens. An army of kunoichi. Together, these girls work as spies, as bodyguards, as assassins—going where no soldier could go, doing what no soldier could do. Here are six stories of the kunoichi, set before the award-winning Seasons of the Sword novels (Risuko and Bright Eyes): 1 - White Robes—Mired in her own grief, Lady Mochizuki Chiyome encounters two young women who give her a whole new, much more interesting opportunity 2 - Silk & Service—A young Takeda warrior meets a servant who is much more than she seems 3 - Waiting for Kuniko—Mieko is waiting at a rendezvous behind enemy lines. In the rain. Without a hat. The person who comes up the road is the last person she expected to encounter. 4 - Wild Mushrooms—A Hōjō commander is delighted when two pretty young shrine maidens enter his camp on the evening before a battle. Perhaps he shouldn’t have been. 5 - Ghost—At a banquet to celebrate a new alliance, Chiyome contemplates murder, and discovers a new servant 6 - Schools for Talented Monthly Headmistresses’ Dinner—Three unique ladies get together once a month to share the joys and challenges involved teaching young ladies with very particular… talents. (Historical fantasy/crossover) Preview (from “White Robes”) Chiyome considers the two girls, still dressed in their oh-so-innocent miko garb. They are standing now, no pretense of humility. Kuniko’s face is dark, her nostrils flaring. Mieko looks as if she’s been enjoying a lovely nighttime stroll, except for the dark circles in the middle of her cheeks and the splash of dark red across her white sleeve. “Well, well, well,” Chiyome laughs. “Aren’t you two entertaining.” “Yes, my lady,” Kuniko grunts through clenched teeth. Mieko says nothing. \[…\] An a beautiful screen Chiyome saw at the imperial palace, when her father brought her there to observe some ceremony or other. The screen seemed to her child’s imagination to have shown the whole of Japan, peopled by thousands of armed samurai, elegant nobles, monks, merchants, and, scattered throughout, young girls in red and white. An army. An anonymous army. Invisible. Able to go everywhere. Able to gather information. Able to strike. With her toe Chiyome writes on the dusty ku (く), then no (ノ), and then finally ichi (一). “Can you two read?” Kuniko scowls down at the marks. “Nine… in… one?” Mieko’s peers at Chiyome. She murmurs, “Kunoichi.” Kuniko blinks at her companion. “Kuno… What’s a kunoichi?” Mieko’s eyes remain on Chiyome. She knows. “Ah,” says Chiyome, grinning to herself, “it is… a very special kind of woman. Tell me, ladies. Would you like to end this ridiculous war? Would you like to be kunoichi?” “Yes, my lady,” the girls answer. Kuniko’s eyes are dark, but Mieko’s glisten.