Dreamlands (21 page)

I shrugged. “Reavers, only because they piss me off. They’re usually standing around like they’re waiting for something or posing FELICITAS IVEY

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for the cover of a magazine. Hákarl or anything that hurts kids or innocent bystanders.”

I knew that described what we had done to Keno, so I knew that I wasn’t much better than the monsters. Hell, if he was Samojirou’s

“blossom,” I hoped he was happy here.

“We are allied with the Reavers,” Seki said.

“I don’t see them hanging around with you,” I said.

Someone said something else, and Seki shrugged and asked,

“You don’t have a problem with a woman in charge of you?” I laughed. “If she’s got her shit together and is willing to make the nasty decisions, then she can run the op. Some guys don’t like a chick running things; that’s never been my problem. Some of the female shooters have huge issues with the guys when they’re on an op. Not with me. Wolf… well, he thinks that they’re ladies even when we’re all knee deep in shit. I thought that you’d have a problem with it more than me.”

Seki talked with the others, and I sat there and got something to eat. I let them do their thing. Samojirou eventually came over to us, and I grinned. “Can I stay with the cool kids?” He looked confused for a second, and he and Seki started talking, with Kazuya adding a few more things. I wanted to stay as far away from Murphy as possible. He was getting on my last nerve, and I was ready to kill him. I always knew he was a prejudiced SOB, but he usually wasn’t this stupid about it.

“I think that it would be acceptable for Seki-san to guide you,” Samojirou finally said.

I snorted. “He’s babysitting me. You know and I know it. You got stuck looking after us.”

Samojirou smiled, amused at my bluntness. “I assure you that I prefer it to my lady’s court.”

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I nodded. I hesitated for a second and then said, “Murphy spent a couple of tours in ’Nam. I don’t expect you to know about that, but that’s why he doesn’t like Oriental people. He actually don’t like anyone that ain’t Irish, it seems, but anyone that isn’t lily white, he really don’t like.”

Samojirou looked at me, a measuring glance wondering if I was telling the truth. “That is interesting.” I shrugged. “He’s an asshole, but he’s my asshole. So ignore the shit that he’s spewing, if you can?”

KENO

TAMAZUSA’S court was a fascinating place. She had a building dedicated to it at her
donjon
, in the castle-town that was eight kilometers from her estate. I had forgotten how big Tamazusa’s holdings were. It was an hour’s ride, being carried by runners in a closed carriage. That or by ox cart was the way most people traveled here. Horses weren’t that popular because they tasted too good to the monsters, so no one used them much in Nippon. I hadn’t been to court before because I had no reason to be.

I knelt behind her and looked decorative. She had scribes to record her judgments, and Okita and his squad were there along with a couple of Reavers to protect her in case there was trouble. I knew I was here as a favor to Samojirou, to keep me away from Murphy and the rest of them. I was aware that Wolf and Mason had seen my bout with Kazuya. No one recognized me when I served them, either; I almost felt as invisible as I had back at Boylston Street. I liked it, that I got that close, and they didn’t know it was me. I guess I made a really good girl.

Believe it or not, I actually paid attention to what was going on. I didn’t understand a lot of it, but I got to know some of the customs and FELICITAS IVEY

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laws for this place. Tamazusa settled things amiably for people. The lords and the important people got to talk to her first, and after she dealt with them, she broke for lunch, even though there was a number of merchants and farmers waiting to talk to her. They expected this, though, and no one seemed upset. I guess that the merchants and farmers were accustomed to waiting. They weren’t all human; I saw some things that barely looked it waiting for Tamazusa’s judgments.

We retired to a small side room, and Okita and his people went to get something to eat while I served Tamazusa the food that had been delivered to her, thinking to eat afterward, since there was enough for two. The Reavers stayed with us, but I didn’t think it was to protect us.

I had figured out that Okita and the others were there to look impressive more than anything.

“Keno,” Tamazusa said. “Please eat with me.” I settled down and waited. I figured she wanted to talk to me about something. I sipped at my tea, waiting for her to start the conversation, as was proper.

Tamazusa smiled. “And how are you and Samojirou-sama doing?

Did you enjoy the
koto
performance last night?” I nodded. “The music was wonderful. The people were interesting to watch too.”

“You do not mind that Samojirou-sama does not want you to talk to them?”

I hesitated. “Ah… it’s better that way. I don’t know all the rules yet, even thought Tan’yu-san has been very good about teaching me them. I was never very good with people. I like watching them more than anything. I don’t understand who everyone is yet, though.” Tamazusa laughed. “And about the outsiders?” I hesitated again. “I just would like Wolf and Mason to know that I am all right.”

“And the others?”

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“I don’t really care,” I said honestly. “They were my jailors.” Tamazusa shook her head. “As are Samojirou-sama and myself.”

“I wasn’t feeling much then,” I said. “I barely remember that night, except for the pain.”

She frowned and stared into her tea. I thought she was remembering something that wasn’t nice. “Your first time, it is not pleasant, even if you know what to expect. I… my choices were limited when I was alive. I was sold off to the highest bidder, and even though the man did not want to abuse what he had spent so much on, it was demeaning.”

I blushed and hung my head. We had had variations on this conversation before, but she hadn’t been this graphic before. Most of it had been more like “Trust Samojirou-sama.” and “He would not hurt you.” She looked up and shook her head. “And I know that you did not know what to expect, and I know that idiot did not care or know what he was doing.”

“But―”

She frowned and leaned in, speaking softly. “Some men have an interest in that entrance, even with a woman. I―”

“Thank you, Tamazusa-sama,” I squeaked, cutting her off, because it wasn’t something that I wanted to hear, even if it was rude for me to interrupt. I just figured out why she really didn’t like sex, because she had had to do
that
with men she didn’t like, and her distaste carried over to the Dreamlands. Poor Samojirou, he was a sensuous man stuck with two people in his life who had no interest in sexual pleasure. “It’s just… I’m still scared.”

“With a considerate partner, it is not unpleasant,” she said bluntly.

I wanted to die of embarrassment. I really didn’t want to be having this conversation with her; it was like my mother trying to explain sex to me and just as embarrassing. “Though I have never been with Samojirou-sama in that manner, I know that he is a considerate man. If things had been different….”

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I waited a second after her voice trailed off. She seemed to be lost in her own memories. I let her think for a minute before reminding her that I was here. “Tamazusa-sama?”

She looked at me and smiled. “If things had been different, I would have been more than his consort. I would have had his sons.” I blinked. Since they didn’t know anything like artificial insemination, it meant that Samojirou and she would have had sex.

That thought made my brain stutter, since I knew that Samojirou doesn’t like women like that. She smiled, reading my shocked look correctly.

“We would have, Keno-chan, for all that he was not interested in me.”

“Um―”

“He is, however, very interested in you,” she continued. “Could you allow him to show you that he is a gentle man and a considerate lover?”

“I don’t know,” I said slowly. I had a hard time with her telling me that Samojirou was a good lover when she had never done
that
with him. I guess she knew from past lovers he had been with here. I wondered what would happen to me if he got tired or bored with me.

“It wasn’t just that night, even though I had had that threat for a while.

A lot of the TCs tried to do stuff to me. The techs were better; they just slapped me around.”

“That is not better!” Tamazusa scolded me.

“It wasn’t weird,” I said. “But I have no interest in doing
that
with anyone!”

Tamazusa smiled and shook her head. “I assure you that there is much that you can do that will give you pleasure without penetration.

Have you even allowed him to try? I know about the night that you were reduced to tears. Samo… Aboshi has had many lovers over the centuries, and they all have parted on good terms, because he is a thoughtful man. He has given me much joy and has been very supportive of my goals. I only wish the best for him.” 153

DREAMLANDS

I bowed my head and thought about what she had said―including using Samojirou’s first name, a true sign of intimacy―as I nibbled on my meal. Tamazusa smiled and after a couple of minutes started talking about what the afternoon session would be like.

AS for the evening meal, it turned out to be more informal than my midday meal. Tamazusa and Samojirou were dining alone. The outsiders and I ate with her samurai, which I had done over the weeks here. I wasn’t surprised that Mason had made friends with Kazuya and his squad. I sat as far away as possible from the Boylston Street group, and Okita tried to keep them from getting into trouble by eating with them. He was talking to Wolf in German, which angered Murphy a lot, since it meant that Wolf was doing all the talking. I was surprised that Okita knew German.

Dinner conversation with my group centered around gossiping about the strangers and teasing me about my win with Kazuya. Several of them declared their undying admiration for me and flirted with me.

They hadn’t seen me dressed as Sakura, even though they knew Samojirou liked me dressing up. I flirted back because I knew that was all that it was, harmless flirting. No one from Boylston Street gave me a second look. It looked like I was the only other woman eating here besides McGann and Romejinoff, so I was sure they would guess I wasn’t a woman, even if they didn’t figure out who I was.

Romejinoff caused trouble at the end of the meal when she made a snide remark to Wolf, in Russian, I thought. One of the samurai near her, Takehito leapt to his feet with a hand on his sword, hissing furiously. I guess he understood Russian. The rest of the group around him didn’t look happy, but they hadn’t gone as far as he had yet. But things got tense, and I wondered if this was a good time to send for Tamazusa.

“What the fuck did you say?” Mason snarled. “How fucking stupid are you?”

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Romejinoff looked pale, and McGann looked a little sick. Wolf and Murphy were both embarrassed, and Wolf started to talk really fast in German to Okita. I guess he wasn’t willing to let them know that he spoke Japanese, even with this incident.

“Get Tamazusa-sama,” I hissed. She might be needed to calm this down, because Okita was beginning to look annoyed. I was surprised that one of the lesser samurai ran off to get her on my order.

Things remained tense until Tamazusa and Samojirou showed up, because nothing was calming Takehito down. And Romejinoff wasn’t helping any, because while she was apologizing, she wasn’t doing it in the correct way or even sounding sorry while she was doing it.

“What is going on here?” Tamazusa demanded.

“Tamazusa-sama, the outsider woman made a remark about your hospitality and your intelligence,” Okita said stiffly. “Takehito took exception to the tone and nature of the comment. It also seems that, from their reactions, her companions had no idea what she said, except for the one called Wolf.”

Tamazusa stared at Romejinoff, clearly angry. “It seems that you cannot act in civil company, from all the reports that I am getting about you from my people. I think that it would be better if you stayed in your assigned quarters from now on, Romejinoff-san.”

“You can’t keep us prisoner!” Murphy blustered.

She smiled coolly. “I am simply keeping her alive. Takehito has the right to take the idiot woman’s head for whatever insult she gave me or him. And she was a fool to think that there would be no one here who would understand her words. We are not ignorant savages, no matter what you think.”

Mason was wisely keeping his mouth shut. McGann nodded and stood up. “I thank you for your hospitality,” McGann said with a bow.

She didn’t do it right, but she at least tried. “And I apologize for the rudeness of my companion. I will make sure that something like this doesn’t happen again.”

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Tamazusa bowed back. “Do so. You people would try the patience of Buddha. Do you not understand where you are?” Romejinoff looked like she wanted to say something, but McGann glared her into silence. It was a glare that promised her a very long talk about her behavior. She shot the same look at Murphy. I had a feeling it was going to be a very long night for all of them.

Okita escorted all of them out, and I felt the tension drain out of the room when they all left. Takehito finally sat down, muttering and glaring at people.

“And what did the woman say?” Tamazusa asked him.

“She implied, Tamazusa-sama, that we are unwashed barbarians because we had no technology. That you were a woman of no honor because you were not catering to her whims. That she was too good to be eating with us. If it were the first time that it had happened, I could ignore it. But she had been like that for most of the meal. I do not know why her man has not beaten her for her rudeness,” Takehito said.

Tamazusa smiled. “Because he was just as rude. He is now dead.”

“But I thought that the blond man, Wolf, was her man. She acts like a riverside whore with him most of the time,” Takehito protested.