Waterfall & Wings Version 1

Yoshitsune's visit to Kenreimonin was praised by Go-Shirakawa and the imperial court. However, Kagetoki crictised the act as being too amiable to the enemy. Yoshitsune replies that he does not see Kenreimonin as an enemy. To him, she stops being part of the Heike clan the moment she became a nun. Kagesue is caught in between the two. One is his father and the other is a man he respects. Eventually, he tells Yoshitsune regretfully that he might not be able to visit him anymore, in order not to upset his father.

Yoshitsune's letter reaches Kamakura. He assures Yoritomo in the letter that he owes his utmost allegiance to him. Hiromoto asks Yoritomo what actions he will take.

Yoritomo: "A reply is unnecessary. We shall wait and observe Kurou's behaviour."

(You see?? You stupid baka totally fails in the communication department!!! If you just stay high and mighty and don't bother communicating to your men, how the hell would they know what you are plotting??? Call yourself a leader. CRAP -__-)

One night, Otoku visits Yoshitsune. She is bothered by the rumours she heard about friction between Yoshitsune and Yoritomo. Worried about the dipping relationship between the two, she also informs him about the report/letter that Kagetoki sent to Yoritomo and its contents, claiming that Yoshitsune is dogmatic and rash, risking the lives of his men etc. Yoshitsune is upset to hear that. She tells Otoku about the letter he sent, but has yet to get a reply. But hearing what Kagetoki has said about him, he feels the urge more than ever to speak to Yoritomo directly, to clear up any misunderstandings. However, Kamakura is far away...

A few days later, Yukiie visits Yoshitsune. He congratulates Yoshitsune on his achievements in the battles against the Heike. He tells Yoshitsune that Yoritomo is being harsh to him because he is jealous of his achievements and the favourable attention he is getting from the imperial court. He feels unjust for him. (I dunno if that was his true feelings.) He asks Yoshitsune to join in a rebellion backed by Go-Shirakawa against Yoritomo.

Yoshitsune: "Do you know why i left Oushuu to go to Kamakura?"

Yukiie: "Isn't it because you wanted to avenge your father? To revive the Genji?"

Yoshitsune: "Because i wanted to build a country with no war!! That is the reason why I fought the Heike. I will not condone fighting within the Genji clan!"

Yukiie: "What a nice way to put it. Weren't you the one who led the battle against Yoshinaka?!"

Yoshitsune: "That battle... ... I had so much wanted to prevent it!"

Yukiie: "Even then, Yoshinaka was still..."

Yoshitsune: "That is why!! It was a terrible feeling (having to kill a fellow Genji)! That is why I will never allow Genji warriors to fight among themselves again! Never!"

(Thou i don't like Yukiie, cos to me, he is a fella who pays allegiance only to the one in current power. His loyalty is so flighty. But he hit the bull's eye saying what he did. Because of his blind loyalty to Yoritomo, Yoshitsune is made to do all the things he doesn't want to, nor believe in. From going after Yoshinaka, to fighting the Heike, ruling strictly by reason etc. As a result, Yoshitsune always end up with a heavy heart burdened by dilemmas and guilt.)

That night, Yoshitsune confides to Shizuka about his feelings. Shizuka can totally understand Yoshitsune's feelings and that gives him some consolation.

Meanwhile, Oohime's health never improved. She remains sick ever since Yoshitaka's execution and this has been Masako's constant worry. Masako hears from the maids that there have been flower offerings at Yoshitaka's memorial pagoda every month. She decides to take Oohime to the pagoda. There, she runs into Chidori and her father and learns that they are the ones who have been offering flowers to Yoshitaka monthly under Yoshitsune's request. Hearing Yoshitsune's name, Oohime mutters in a daze that she wants to see him. Masako is shocked as Oohime has not spoken a word for a very long time. Masako's father tell her it is difficult to bring Yoshitsune to Kamakura with the strained relationship between him and Yoritomo now but Masako is determined to get her way.

In Kyoto, Go-Shirakawa receives a request from Yoritomo to send Munemori and his son to Kamakura. Seeing this as a chance to meet Yoritomo and clear up any misunderstandings, Yoshitsune volunteers for the task.

Tomoyasu: "Didn't Yoritomo forbid warriors who accepted official ranks to cross over to the east?"

Go-Shirakawa: "But Kurou's name wasn't on that list, right?"

With that, Go-Shirakawa appoints Yoshitsune to be in charge of this task. Later in private, Tomoyasu wonders why Yoritomo left Yoshitsune out of the list. Go-Shirakawa reveals that it is Yoritomo's way of testing Yoshitsune. (Go-Shirakawa, being a scheming person like Yoritomo, understands Yoritomo's motive. Hence he purposely lead Yoshitsune the other way, so as to widen the rift between the 2 brothers.)

Shigehira, who has been exiled to Izu by Yoritomo, gets a visit from Taira no Yorimori. (Refresh: Yorimori is the son of Kiyomori's step-mother, who saved Yoritomo's life when he was young. Ostracised by the Heike clan, Yoritomo puts them up instead. Hope I don't get it wrong here but I think the people from Kofuku Temple in Nara is pressurising Yoritomo to hand over Shigehira. I think because Shigehira previously burnt down their sacred temple once and they want to punish him? Yoritomo actually respects Shigehira a lot and tries to protect him but is unable to. Therefore he asks Yorimori to do the "dirty job" of asking Shigehira to go on his own accord as it kinda breach the samurai code of conduct to surrender your captive to another party.) Yorimori tells Shigehira about Kofuku Temple's request and Shigehira agrees to go, even though it most probably means death. Shigehira reveals that death to him means being able to meet his family again. Yorimori cries and begs for forgiveness.

Yoritomo receives news that Yoshitsune is the one assigned to escort Munemori and his son and is on his way to Kamakura. He wavers and is unsure if he should let Yoshitsune in. Masako tells him that since his name is not on the list, she expects him to be able to reach Kamakura. Of course, she is thinking about the welfare of Oohime. However, Hiromoto warns Yoritomo against letting Yoshitsune enter Kamakura. If he allows Yoshitsune in, it will reflect that he is bias towards family (since everyone in Kamakura knows about Yoritomo's plan to test Yoshitsune) and that will be detrimental to his ruling.

At Sakawa River (current day Odawara), the warrior assigned to send Shigehira to Kofuku Temple runs into Yoshitsune. Yoshitsune decides to let Shigehira meet his brother Munemori and son. Munemori is surprised to learn that Shigehira is still alive. They have a short-lived reunion and Munemori informs Shigehira about the deaths in their clans. Shigehira implores Yoshitsune to take care of Munemori. Later that night, Yoshitsune witnesses Munemori crying to himself (about Shigehira's impending death?). Seeing the two brothers' care for each other, he thinks about his own relationship with Yoritomo.

Soon, Yoshitsune sets off again and arrives in a Koshigoe, a place just outside Kamakura. He meets Tokimasa, who is waiting for them.

Tokimasa: "I am to receive Munemori and his son."

Yoshitsune: "To receive them?"

Tokimasa: "You are to stay in Koshigoe and not step foot into Kamakura. I will bring Munemori and his son to Kamakura. This is Yoritomo's order."

Yoshitsune is shocked at his brother's treatment.

~End of Episode 38~