"Lord Atsumori," he said, with tears in his voice, "you may have heard that you are not my son, but the son of His Majesty the ex-Emperor. His Majesty, I am sure, has been very anxious about your safety since the outbreak of the present war! I think you had better go back at once to Kyōto, with your mother and Tamaori, and call on your Imperial father as soon as arrangements can be made. Your filial duty demands this of you, I am sure. Pray make immediate preparations for your journey, Lord Atsumori."
A look of amazement came over Atsumori's face.
"Oh, no, my dear father!" he replied. "I may be the ex-Emperor's son, but you have brought me up since my birth. Your kindness to me is higher than the mountain, and deeper than the sea! How can I forsake my father, and take refuge in a place of safety, when the Tairas are on the eve of destruction? Nothing is further from my mind. Please allow me to accompany you to battle in some capacity or another, and share your lot, my father."
"It would seem at first that you are right in saying so. But you must remember that one's
