The Initiate Brother Duology (69 page)

“As you slept, Sire, we spoke. It is clear that under any other circumstances what we did yesterday would have been considered a service to our Empire. I believe it is true to surmise that, considering this great treasure we have found, we would have been richly rewarded. But in our present situation this cannot be. There is a certain irony in this. Rather like the plight of Shubuta when he was tricked by the Goddess of Greed.” He gave half a laugh.

“So all that is left to us is an oath that we swore when our House fell. It will guide us now.”

Komawara thought for some time, staring into the fire.

“I do not know the exact nature of this oath, though it is obvious what it must be. Do you wish to revenge yourself upon my ally, Lord Shonto, or members of his staff?”

“No, Lord Komawara.”

“Who would offer you service, lieutenant, if this oath would endanger their own House?”

“A House with the same enemies, Sire.”

“Huh.”

Komawara tossed the coins back into the bag. “It is not within my power to release those who have broken the laws of our Empire, but as you say, you
have performed a service and it should not go unrewarded. Can you swear that carrying out this oath will not endanger the purpose of my House or my allies?”

The lieutenant looked around the group. “We are patient, Lord Komawara. We can wait until such a time as we would not endanger the Komawara House.”

The lord nodded and returned his attention to the fire. His head throbbed. Forcing himself to sit, not slump, Komawara met the lieutenant’s eye. “Then will you exchange your green for the colors of the Komawara house?”

There was a low murmur among the Hajiwara men and they gathered about the lord and their lieutenant.

“You would offer this knowing that we are hunted by the Butto and aware of our recent actions?”

“Lieutenant Narihira, I saw men fight the enemy of our Empire knowing that it would profit them not at all. You could have easily ridden by—what do you owe the Emperor? Men who would act so are men of honor, of this I have no doubt.”

The lieutenant withdrew to confer with his men, leaving the Kalam and Lord Komawara to share food.

The Hajiwara men were not gone long.

“Lord Komawara,” the lieutenant began, “we have weighed your words and we know that this offer is more than any of us had ever dared hope for. We were resigned to living without House or honor. Yet there is the matter of the Butto. They have sworn an oath to hunt down all of my lord’s followers, sparing none. You would be standing between the Butto and ourselves and we cannot allow this.”

Komawara smiled. “Lieutenant, the Butto believe they owe the Komawara a debt that they cannot repay in one hundred lifetimes. I think I can trade part of this debt for your lives…in return for your sworn service, of course.”

“If this is as you say, Lord Komawara, then I may speak for all of us. We would be honored to wear the colors of the House of Komawara.”

The Hajiwara men knelt before him and, one by one, laid their swords at his feet.

After this was done, Lord Komawara stood with difficulty. “It is good that you have proven that you can fight our enemies, for there is war awaiting us. Of this, have no doubt. In this war we must stand shoulder to shoulder
with those we would consider enemies…or we will fall. And more than Seh will fall with us.” Komawara looked at the men standing before him. Do they believe what I say? he wondered. It hardly mattered. They would believe soon enough.

“What has happened in this glade must never be spoken of. You have seen no barbarians in these hills. You must never say differently. I have rewarded you with service to the Komawara for dispatching the bandits who have threatened us, and also for saving my life. No one will question this. But the graves must be hidden so that no one can ever suspect otherwise. Likewise, you must say nothing of this gold. I do not claim it for my own but will give it to the Imperial Governor, for it was carried by these barbarians for purposes that I cannot speak of. When we arrive at my lands, you will be honored for vanquishing the bandits in these hills, and in a way this is the truth.” He smiled.

“We must go down out of the hills now. There is much that we must do.”

T
HE SHIPS SET off in driving rain, heeled to a cold west wind, their sails reefed so small it seemed impossible that they would weather the headland. Yet they made way, if not quickly at least steadily.

Lord Shonto Shokan sat his horse on a high cliff and watched the ships pass. He raised his arm once, not at all sure he could be seen, and waved slowly. Turning his mount, he picked his way down the track that ran along the cliff edge. He didn’t wish to keep Tanaka out on deck in this terrible weather, for the old man must stay at the rail until the son of his liege-lord was unquestionably lost to sight—anything less would be an unforgivable insult. After all, Shokan had ridden to the headland to see the older man on his way, paying him a great honor. Honor, Tanaka deserved—protracted suffering, he did not.

If Shokan had known, he would have been less anxious to leave, for Tanaka stood at the rail staring up at the distant rider and the streaks on his face were not all from the rain and salt spray. He looks much like his father did at that age, the merchant was thinking. And he is as dear to me.

Tanaka watched as the figure in Shonto blue waved and then turned back along the cliff, followed by three guards. So few, Tanaka thought, it’s almost as if there were no danger.

The young Lord Shonto worked his way down to a stretch where the cliff path turned flat and broad and pressed his mount into a canter. He was delighted, as always, by the stallion’s motion. He had brought the animal back with him from Seh, and it had survived the voyage, first by river and then by sea, without apparent harm to body or spirit.

Seh…. It was that province and his father’s situation to which his thoughts constantly returned. Tanaka’s visit had been most unsettling, adding fuel to the slow kindling of fear that had been smoldering since his father’s most recent letter.

As he had feared all along, there was more hidden in the wastelands than the proud men of Seh would admit possible. And now this news from Tanaka.

He spurred his horse up a steeper rise, hooves throwing clods of soft turf as they went. Reining in, he turned back to the sea and took longer than he expected to catch sight of the small fleet disappearing into the sheets of rain that shrouded the entire Bay of Mists. There would be no more ships setting out across those waters now until spring returned; these were tempting the Storm Gods quite enough.

Late, late in the season for such folly. Shokan turned his mount toward the Shonto Palace. Folly, he thought, there has been entirely too much folly. Sensing his mood, his guard hung back as far as duty would allow, leaving their young lord alone with his thoughts.

Reaching down a heavily gloved hand, Shokan patted the stallion’s shoulder as a sudden gust whipped its unplaited mane into a tangle. His father did not believe that Seh could be held. He shuddered though he was not cold.

Did the Emperor know that all that stood between his Imperial person and the loss of his Throne to a barbarian chieftain was Shonto Motoru? Shokan supposed that he did not.

If Shonto abandoned the north and fell back to the south, how long could he keep control of the army he was raising? Surely the Son of Heaven would order him to step down from his command in shame the moment he crossed the border of Seh. Shokan had not liked the tone of his father’s last letter. Staying in control of the army long enough to defeat the invaders had seemed to be his father’s only concern.

So his father had written and Shokan did not doubt it for a moment.

There would be no support from the Emperor, and the men of Seh seemed equally blind to their plight and might well remain so until it was
too late. My father needs an army, Shokan thought, he needs the largest force the Empire can raise, yet that is impossible. He fought off the bitterness and anger that had been growing since his visit from Tanaka.

He tried to replace this bitterness with the feelings of affection he felt for their vassal-merchant. Tanaka sailed into more danger than winter storms. If Lord Shonto was removed from command of his army, all of the Shonto House would fall with him. Tanaka, who controlled the family’s vast trading interests, would be the third Shonto retainer the Imperial Guard would seek out, after Shokan and Lady Nishima.

Tanaka was convinced that the Emperor would invite the young Shonto heir to come to the capital for the winter social season and Shokan was certain he was right. He had been expecting the Imperial summons for days.

Of course he would stall as long as possible, but that would not be forever—the Emperor was not a patient man.

At least Lady Nishima was no longer within the Emperor’s reach. This brought a smile to replace the anxious look on the young lord’s face. He wondered how the Emperor would react to
that?
Nishima gone, and in the company of the woman the Emperor had himself appointed to be her instructor in the arts. Although he stood somewhat in awe of his adopted sister’s charm, Shokan could not imagine how Nishi-sum had tempted the Lady Okara from her island sanctuary.

Shokan would like to see the Emperor’s response to that news. The Yamaku Emperor was not patient nor did he like to appear a fool. The young lord laughed aloud. There were at least small victories to be enjoyed. Oh, Nishi-sum, how did you manage such a thing? He laughed again and spurred his horse in a wild gallop along the cliff top. Below him the sea battered the ancient cliff, endlessly: soft water against hard stone in an unequal contest.

J
AKU TADAMOTO TRIED to sit calmly, without betraying any sign of the fear he felt. It was a difficult exercise. The Emperor was known to fly into rages, but in Tadamoto’s experience the sovereign could be at his deadliest when he was silent—trying to contain his infamous temper. The Emperor stood, apparently examining a figure in a three-panel painting of the battle of Kyo. He held his sword of office in its scabbard before him in both hands and Tadamoto could see the Emperor’s right hand flexing like an involuntary seizure on the sword’s grip.

Jaku Tadamoto’s sense of tranquillity was further eroded by the knowledge that the object of the Emperor’s rage was his own brother, Katta. He was not certain what caused him more apprehension: the thought that the Emperor’s legendary distrust would now be focused on him because of his brother’s latest betrayal, or whether he feared for Katta. Certainly Katta had gone off to the north, turning his back on Tadamoto, but even so, Katta was still his brother.

The Emperor turned suddenly and glared down at the kneeling guardsman.

“So, Shonto’s daughter is in league with my former Guard Commander, damn his arrogance!” He gazed back at the figure in the painting again as though it calmed him. The figure, Tadamoto could not help but notice, was impaled upon a lance.

Very quietly, Tadamoto ventured to speak. “It is difficult to say, Sire, it is just as possible that their meeting was merely coincidence.”

“I am not a believer in coincidence, not when your brother is concerned.”
The Emperor paced back to his dais, paused to consider, then kicked a silk-covered pillow across the audience chamber. “And it was the Lady Okara? You are certain?”

Tadamoto looked at the floor directly in front of him. “It would appear so, Sire. Her staff report that she is ill and cannot receive visitors, the same explanation we are given at the Shonto House. The description I have received would seem to leave little doubt.”

The Emperor dropped back to his cushions and stared at the mats as intently as did Tadamoto. “And you still do not believe he has secretly joined the Shonto?”

Tadamoto shook his head slowly. “It would be most uncharacteristic, Sire. My brother is ambitious, I will not deny it, but he believes that Shonto’s famed loyalty is a sham. He thinks the great lord is loyal only to his own ambitions, all other alliances merely serve his purpose. I think Katta-sum’s distrust of Lord Shonto is unwavering.”