Waterfall & Wings Version 1

Yoshitsune finally arrives in Hiraizumi with his kerai. (Suddenly Benkei's hair is so long!!) Fujiwara no Hidehira receives them warmly and is very glad that Yoshitsune is back.

Hidehira: "You kept your promise and came back to Hiraizumi."

Hidehira thanks the kerai for protecting Yoshitsune all this time. Yoshitsune presents 2 locks of hair belonging to Sato Tsugunobu and Tadanobu to Hidehira and apologises for failing to bring the two brothers back to Hiraizumi with him. Tsugunobu and Tadanobu's father tell Yoshitsune not to feel sorry about it.

Sato: "For samurais, it is better to die in battles."

(Only that Tadanobu didn't really die in a battle...)

Benkei presents the Buddha figurine that Tadanobu carved when he was still alive. Yoshitsune tells Hidehira they all think it resembles Tsugunobu. Hidehira agrees. (Still don't see any similarity...)

Sato: "Lord Kurou, have my two sons been of use to you?"

Yoshitsune: "Definitely. The brothers have helped me in the best way they could."

Sato: "As their father, there is nothing that makes me more happy than to hear this."

Hidehira invites Yoshitsune to make Hiraizumi his home. Yoshitsune and his kerai return to the house they stayed in before and everyone feels nostalgic. The house is filled with things that Kichiji sent from the capital. Among them, Kiyomori's folder screen. Tadahira (one of Hidehira's sons) asks what it is.

Yoshitsune: "It is the dream country that we are striving for."

Later that day, Yoshitsune has dinner with Hidehira in private. He tells Hidehira the story behind the folder screen.

Yoshitsune: "Kamakura is not the place that I hoped for. I cannot see it as a place where families can live together happily. I can only see it as a samurai country. A place ruled only by the harsh rules of a samurai."

Hidehira learns of Yoshitsune's disappointment with Kamakura. Yoshitsune tells Hidehira he came to Hiraizumi precisely because he believes it is the place where he can build his dream country. He tells Hidehira how they can trade with other countries and make Hiraizumi a prosperous port city. If the country is prosperous, there will be no need for wars and suffering. (Woah, Yoshitsune-sama is talking internationalisation here.) Hidehira is touched to hear Yoshitsune's dream.

Hidehira: "Hiraizumi is different from Kamakura. Why don't you build your dream country here?"

Yoshitsune is touched at Hidehira's invitation. (I LOVE HIDEHIRA-SAMA!! He's soooo fatherly! He totally treats Yoshitsune like his own son.) He and his kerai begin their peaceful life in Hiraizumi, although short-lived.

Meanwhile, Yoritomo sends a request to Go-Shirakawa in the capital, asking him to issue a decree to Hidehira to hand over Yoshitsune. The messengers from the capital with the decree stop over at Kamakura on the way.

Yoritomo: "I will be sending one of my men with you."

Messenger: "Why?"

Yoritomo: "To protect you of course."

(GAAAAHHH!!! Yoritomo is obviously sending his man together with the imperial messengers to spy at Hiraizumi, and to make sure that Go-Shirakawa don't pass any secret messages to Yoshitsune without his knowing... *kicks*)

Kichiji visits Yoshitsune at Hiraizumi and tells him that Shizuka performed a dance for Yoritomo in Kamakura, a dance that tells of her longing for him. He also informs Yoshitsune that Shizuka gave birth to a child in Kamakura just before that. (Which means that she already knew she was pregnant when she separated with Yoshitsune at Yoshino. This is another reason why she insisted on staying behind.)

Yoshitsune: "Is it a boy or a girl?"

Kichiji: "... ...it is a... girl."

Unable to let Yoshitsune know the sad truth, Kichiji lies. However, his strange behaviour gives the lie away and Yoshitsune senses that it must have been a boy. And if it is Yoritomo, he must have killed the baby. (Because Yoritomo has always stressed to Yoshitsune how Kiyomori made the greatest mistake of his life by allowing the sons of his enemies to live. And Kichiji is one lousy liar... If you cry like that, how can anyone not know that something is wrong??!x_x I mean, if the child survived, it should be a joyous thing isn't it??)

Yoshitsune: "Kichiji, you have helped me a lot all this while. I thank you."

After Kichiji leaves, a heartbroken Yoshitsune says a prayer for his dead child in front of the altar, together with Benkei. (Takki's children in his dramas always have such a hard life, if any at all. His child in Majo died before it was born, now this!!!?!!?!??? *wails*)

One month later, the "spy" that Yoritomo sent to Hiraizumi together with the imperial messengers report to Yoritomo that Yoshitsune is indeed in Hiraizumi. Yoritomo decides to come up with a mission to test Hidehira.

He sends a messenger to Hiraizumi and asks Hidehira to send a gift to the imperial court, stopping over at Kamakura on the way. (I am not sure if Yoritomo meant for Hidehira to go personally, or just a representative from Hiraizumi. Probably the latter desho...) Kunihira and Tadahira are fully against it, as this will mean that Hiraizumi is under Kamakura's control. Fujiwara however, agrees to the request. (He is determined to protect Yoshitsune and isn't going to let such a petty thing affect him. Erai!! Sasuga Lord Hidehira!)

That night, Yoshitsune apologises to Hidehira, for having to put his pride down in front of Yoritomo to protect him. Hidehira tells Yoshitsune he has seen this coming the moment he decided to protect him.

Yoshitsune: "It is all because I came here that I set Kamakura after you."

Hidehira: "No. Even if you did not come here, he will come after me eventually. Now that he finally managed to defeat the Heike, he will definitely come after Hiraizumi. Without us, he will have total control. I am acceding to his request this time not just because of you, but also for the sake of the Fujiwara clan. (Kinda like to buy time before he goes all out against Kamakura.) Kurou, I think of you as one of my sons. Therefore I will risk Oushu, Fujiwara and all I have to fight him!"

Yoshitsune is very touched to hear that from Hidehira. (SO AM I!!!!!!!!!!)

Masako and Tokimasa congratulates Yoritomo, hearing that Hidehira is acceding to his request.

Masako: "Now even Lord Hidehira has to bow to you."

Yoritomo thinks otherwise. He knows that Hidehira does not really pledge allegiance to him. He tells Masako and her father that Hidehira, by sending him so many gifts, is indirectly telling him that Hiraizumi is rich and strong in resources. Now is not the time to go against the Fujiwara clan yet.

One night in autumn, Hidehira announces that Yasuhira will be his successor.

Hidehira: "Should anything happen, you will have to protect the Fujiwara..."

Suddenly he collapses to the shock of everyone. Hidehira falls into a subconscious state and his health takes a rapidly downturn. Yasuhira starts to panick and confesses to his brothers that he has no confidence to be Fujiwara's 4th successor yet. His brothers tell him to calm down. They will help him no matter what. (Mou... Yasuhira is such a... -_-)

One and a half month later, Yoshitsune is called to gather in Hidehira's room. Yoshitsune knows the time has come.

A dying Hidehira asks his three sons to assist and support Yoshitsune to protect Hiraizumi from Kamakura. Hiraizumi must not fall into Yoritomo's hands.

Hidehira: "Kurou, please... yoshinani."

(Note: "Yoshinani" means "yoroshiku". I don't know how to translate that to English...)

With that as his last words, Hidehira slips into eternal slumber. He was 66. (And poor Yoshitsune loses a father again, for the third time.... T-T But then again, it is better that Hidehira do not live to see what Yasuhira did to Hiraizumi...)

Yoritomo learns of Hidehira's death and realises the time is ripe. They can now plan to take down the Fujiwara clan and Yoshitsune. He has Go-Shirakawa issue another decree to the Fujiwara clan, to hand over Yoshitsune. Yasuhira and his brothers assure Yoshitsune that they will never hand him over. They will stand by their father's dying wishes and support him.

Yasuhira sends a letter to Yoritomo, telling him that Yoshitsune is not in Hiraizumi. Yoritomo tells from the letter that Yasuhira is weak because he chooses to lie to him rather than oppose him outright. He believe Yasuhira will crumble eventually if he continues to press him. He will make use of Yasuhira's weakness to topple the Fujiwara clan. He starts to pressurise Yasuhira to hand over Yoshitsune via letters.

One day, Hiraizumi receives news that Kamakura has already released a huge army that is heading towards Hiraizumi. Kunihira and Tadahira as well as Yoshitsune agrees that they should lead an army out to fight them instead of waiting in Hiraizumi for them to arrive. Yasuhira however, is paranoid about fighting against Kamakura without any imperial decree (who is sort of like "endorsed" by the imperial family, so fighting them is akin to treachery).

Kunihira: "Forget about the imperial family! It is the survival of Fujiwara Clan that matters the most!"

Tadahira: "What do you think, Lord Kurou?"

Yoshitsune: "The enemy is no longer just after Oushu but the entire country. We must not let him cross into our territory. We have to go out and meet them! Lord Hidehira has shown me much benevolence and as a way to repay this kindness, I will volunteer to lead this army!"

Kunihira and Tadahira second Yoshitsune's decision and declares they will follow him. Yasuhira remains quiet but looks terrified.

Leaving the room, Benkei asks Yoshitsune...

Benkei: "Engaging in a battle will be..."

Yoshitsune: "I know. I will be fighting against my own brother. But that doesn't matter anymore. I have already made up my mind."

(Narration: Yoshitsune and Yoritomo, both in pursuit of their dream country, will engage in their final battle.)

~ End of episode 48 ~