Shogun_ A Novel of Japan Part 152

So sorry, but so necessary, Anjin-san. I saved your life, which you wanted even above your s.h.i.+p. Fifty times or more I've had to consider giving your life away but so far I've always managed to avoid it. I hope to continue to do that. Why? This is a day for truth, neh? neh? The answer is because you make me laugh and I need a friend. I daren't make friends among my own people, or among the Portuguese. Yes, I will whisper it down a well at noon but only when I'm certain I'm alone, that I The answer is because you make me laugh and I need a friend. I daren't make friends among my own people, or among the Portuguese. Yes, I will whisper it down a well at noon but only when I'm certain I'm alone, that I need one friend need one friend. And also your knowledge. Mariko-sama was right again. Before you go I want to know everything you know. I told you we both had plenty of time, you and I.

I want to know how to navigate a s.h.i.+p around the earth and understand how a small island nation can defeat a huge empire. Perhaps the answer could apply to us and China, neh? neh? Oh yes, the Taik was right in some things. Oh yes, the Taik was right in some things.

The first time I saw you, I said, "There's no excuse for rebellion," and you said, "There's one-if you win!" Ah, Anjin-san, I bound you to me then. I agree. Everything's right if you win.

Stupid to fail. Unforgivable.

You won't fail, and you'll be safe and happy in your large fief at Anjiro, where Mura the fisherman will guard you from Christians and continue to feed them misinformation as I direct. How naive of Tsukku-san to believe one of my men, even Christian, would steal your rutters and give them secretly to the priests without my knowledge, or my direction. Ah, Mura, you've been faithful for thirty years or more, soon you'll get your reward! What would the priests say if they knew your real name was Akira Tonomoto, samurai-spy at my direction, as well as fisherman, headman, and Christian? They'd fart dust, neh? neh?

So don't worry, Anjin-san, I'm worrying about your future. You're in good strong hands and, ah, what a future I've planned for you.

"I'm to be consort to the barbarian, oh oh oh?" Kiku had wailed aloud.

"Yes, within the month. Fujiko-san has formally agreed." He had told Kiku and Gyoko the truth once more, patiently giving the distraught girl face. "And a thousand koku a year after the birth of the Anjin-san's first son."

"Eh, a thou-what did you say?"

He had repeated the promise and added sweetly, "After all, samurai is samurai and two swords are two swords and his sons will be samurai. He's hatamoto, one of my most important va.s.sals, Admiral of all my s.h.i.+ps, a close personal adviser-even a friend. Neh?" Neh?"

"So sorry, but Sire-"

"First you'll be his consort." you'll be his consort."

"So sorry, first, Sire?"

"Perhaps you should be his wife. Fujiko-san told me she didn't wish to marry, ever again, but I think he should be married. Why not you? If you please him enough, and I imagine you could please him enough, and still, dutifully, keep him building his s.h.i.+p... neh? neh? Yes, I think you should be his wife." Yes, I think you should be his wife."

"Oh yes oh yes oh yes!" She had thrown her arms around him and blessed him and apologized for her impulsive bad manners for interrupting and not listening dutifully, and she had left him; walking four paces off the ground where a moment ago she had been ready to throw herself off the nearest cliff.

Ah, ladies, Toranaga thought, bemused and very content. Now she's got everything she wants, so has Gyoko-if the s.h.i.+p's built in time and it will be-so have the priests, so have- "Sire!" One of the hunters was pointing at a clump of bushes beside the road. He reined in and readied Kogo, loosening the jesses that held her to his fist. "Now," he ordered softly. The dog was sent in.

The hare broke from the brush and raced for cover and at that instant he released Kogo. With immensely powerful thrusts of her wings she hurtled in pursuit, straight as an arrow, overhauling the panicked animal. Ahead, a hundred paces across the rolling land was a brambled copse, and the hare twisted this way and that with frantic speed, making for safety, Kogo closing the gap, cutting corners, knifing ever closer a few feet off the ground. Then she was above her prey and she hacked down and the hare screamed and reared up and darted back, Kogo still in pursuit ek-ek-eking ek-ek-eking with rage because she had missed. The hare whirled again in a final dash for sanctuary and shrieked as Kogo struck again and got a firm grip with her talons on its neck and head and bound on fearlessly, closing her wings, oblivious of the animal's frantic contortions and tumblings as, effortlessly, she snapped the neck. A last scream. Kogo let go and leaped into the air for an instant and shook her ruffled feathers into place again with a violent flurry, then settled back onto the warm, twitching body, talons once more in the death grip. Then and only then did she give her shriek of conquest and hiss with pleasure at the kill. Her eyes watched Toranaga. with rage because she had missed. The hare whirled again in a final dash for sanctuary and shrieked as Kogo struck again and got a firm grip with her talons on its neck and head and bound on fearlessly, closing her wings, oblivious of the animal's frantic contortions and tumblings as, effortlessly, she snapped the neck. A last scream. Kogo let go and leaped into the air for an instant and shook her ruffled feathers into place again with a violent flurry, then settled back onto the warm, twitching body, talons once more in the death grip. Then and only then did she give her shriek of conquest and hiss with pleasure at the kill. Her eyes watched Toranaga.

Toranaga trotted up and dismounted, offering the lure. Obediently the goshawk left her prey and then, as he deftly concealed the lure, she settled on his outstretched gauntlet. His fingers caught her jesses and he could feel her grip through the steel-reinforced leather of the forefinger perch.

"Eeeeee, that was well done, my beauty," he said, rewarding her with a morsel, part of the hare's ear that a beater sliced off for him. "There, gorge on that but not too much-you've still work to do."

Grinning, the beater held up the hare. "Master! It must be three, four times her weight. Best we've seen for weeks, neh?" neh?"

"Yes. Send it to the camp for the Anjin-san." Toranaga swung into the saddle again and waved the others forward to the hunt once more.

Yes, the kill had been well done, but it had none of the excitement of a peregrine kill. A goshawk's only what it is, a cook's bird, a killer, born to kill anything and everything that moves. Like you, Anjin-san, neh? neh?

Yes, you're a short-winged hawk. Ah, but Mariko was peregrine.

He remembered her so clearly and he wished beyond wis.h.i.+ng that it had not been necessary for her to go to Osaka and into the Void. But it was necessary, he told himself patiently. The hostages had to be released. Not my kin, but all the others. Now I've another fifty allies committed secretly. Your courage and Lady Etsu's courage and self-sacrifice have bound them and all the Maedas to my side, and through them, the whole western seaboard. Is.h.i.+do had to be winkled out of his impregnable lair, the Regents split, and Ochiba and Kiyama broken to my fist. You did all this and more: You gave me time. Only time fas.h.i.+ons snares and provides lures.

Ah, Mariko-chan, who would have thought a little slip of a woman like you, daughter of Ju-san Kubo, my old rival, the archtraitor Akechi Jinsai, could do so much and wreak so much vengeance so beautifully and with such dignity on the Taik, your father's enemy and killer. A single awesome stoop, like Tetsu-ko, and you killed all your prey which are my prey.

So sad that you're no more. Such loyalty deserves special favor.

Toranaga was at the crest now and he stopped and called for Tetsu-ko. The falconer took Kogo from him and Toranaga caressed the hooded peregrine on his fist a last time, then he slipped her hood and cast her into the sky. He watched her spiral upward, ever upward, seeking a prey that he would never flush. Tetsu-ko's freedom is my gift to you, Mariko-san, he said to her spirit, watching the falcon circle higher and higher. To honor your loyalty to me and your filial devotion to our most important rule: that a dutiful son, or daughter, may not rest under the same heaven while the murderer of her father still lives.

"Ah, so wise, Sire," the falconer said.

"Eh?"

"To release Tetsu-ko, to free her. I thought the last time you flew her she'd never come back but I wasn't sure. Ah, Sire, you're the greatest falconer in the realm, the best, to know know, to be so sure when to give her back to the sky."

Toranaga permitted himself a scowl. The falconer blanched, not understanding why, quickly offered Kogo back and retreated hastily.

Yes, Tetsu-ko was due, Toranaga thought testily, but, even so, she was still a symbolic gift to Mariko's spirit and the quality of her revenge.

Yes. But what about all the sons of all the men you've killed?

Ah, that's different, those men all deserved to die, he answered himself. Even so, you're always wary of who comes within arrow range-that's normal prudence. This observation pleased Toranaga and he resolved to add it to the Legacy.

He squinted into the sky once more and watched the falcon, no longer his falcon. She was a creature of immense beauty up there, free, beyond all the tears, soaring effortlessly. Then some force beyond his ken took her and whirled her northward and she vanished.

"Ah, Tetsu-ko, thank you. Bear many daughters," he said, and turned his attention to the earth below.

The village was neat in the lowering sun, the Anjin-san still at his table, samurai training, smoke rising from the cooking fires. Across the bay, twenty ri ri or so, was Yedo. Forty or so, was Yedo. Forty ri ri southeast was Anjiro. Two hundred and ninety southeast was Anjiro. Two hundred and ninety ri ri westward was Osaka and north from there, barely thirty westward was Osaka and north from there, barely thirty ri ri, was Kyoto.

That's where the main battle should be, he thought. Near the capital. Northward, up around Gifu or Ogaki or Has.h.i.+ma, astride the Naka-send, the Great North Road. Perhaps where the road turns south for the capital, near the little village of Sekigahara in the mountains. Somewhere there. Oh, I'd be safe for years behind my mountains, but this is the chance I've waited for: Is.h.i.+do's jugular is unprotected.

My main thrust will be along the North Road and not the Tokaid. the coastal road, though between now and then I'll pretend to change fifty times. My brother will ride with me. Oh yes, I think Zataki will convince himself Is.h.i.+do has betrayed him to Kiyama. My brother's no fool. And I will keep my solemn oath to seek Ochiba for him. During the the battle Kiyama will change sides, I think he will change sides, and when he does, if he does, he will fall on his hated rival Onos.h.i.+. That will signal the guns to charge; I will roll up the sides of their armies and I will win. Oh yes, I will win-because Ochiba, wisely, will never let the Heir take the field against me. She knows that if she did, I would be forced to kill him, so sorry. battle Kiyama will change sides, I think he will change sides, and when he does, if he does, he will fall on his hated rival Onos.h.i.+. That will signal the guns to charge; I will roll up the sides of their armies and I will win. Oh yes, I will win-because Ochiba, wisely, will never let the Heir take the field against me. She knows that if she did, I would be forced to kill him, so sorry.

Toranaga began to smile secretly. The moment I have won I will give Kiyama all Onos.h.i.+'s lands, and invite him to appoint Saruji his heir. The moment I am President of the new Council of Regents we will put Zataki's proposal to the Lady Ochiba, who will be so incensed at his impertinence that, to placate the First Lady of the Land and the Heir, the Regents will regretfully have to invite my brother Onward. Who should take his place as Regent? Kasigi Omi. Kiyama will be Omi's prey ... yes, that's wise, and so easy because surely by that time Kiyama, Lord of all the Christians, will be flaunting his religion, which is still against our law. The Taik's Expulsion Edicts are still legal, neh? neh? Surely Omi and the others will say, "I vote the Edicts be invoked"? And once Kiyama is gone, never again a Christian Regent, and patiently our grip will tighten on the stupid but dangerous foreign dogma that is a threat to the Land of the G.o.ds, has always threatened our Surely Omi and the others will say, "I vote the Edicts be invoked"? And once Kiyama is gone, never again a Christian Regent, and patiently our grip will tighten on the stupid but dangerous foreign dogma that is a threat to the Land of the G.o.ds, has always threatened our wa wa ... therefore must be obliterated. We Regents will encourage the Anjin-san's countrymen to take over Portuguese trade. As soon as possible the Regents will order all trade and all foreigners confined to Nagasaki, to a tiny part of Nagasaki, under very serious guards. And we will close the land to them forever ... to them and to their guns and to their poisons. ... therefore must be obliterated. We Regents will encourage the Anjin-san's countrymen to take over Portuguese trade. As soon as possible the Regents will order all trade and all foreigners confined to Nagasaki, to a tiny part of Nagasaki, under very serious guards. And we will close the land to them forever ... to them and to their guns and to their poisons.

So many marvelous things to do, once I've won, if I win, when I win. We are a very predictable people.

It will be a golden age. Ochiba and the Heir will majestically hold Court in Osaka, and from time to time we will bow before them and continue to rule in his name, outside of Osaka Castle. Within three years or so, the Son of Heaven will invite me to dissolve the Council and become Shgun during the remainder of my nephew's minority. The Regents will press me to accept and, reluctantly, I will accept. In a year or two, without ceremony, I will resign in Sudara's favor and retain power as usual and keep my eyes firmly on Osaka Castle. I will continue to wait patiently and one day those two usurpers inside will make a mistake and then they will be gone and somehow Osaka Castle will be gone, just another dream within a dream, and the real prize of the Great Game that began as soon as I could think, which became possible the moment the Taik died, the real prize will be won: the Shgunate. the Shgunate.

That's what I've fought for and planned for all my life. I, alone, am heir to the realm. I will be Shgun. And I have started a dynasty.

It's all possible now because of Mariko-san and the barbarian stranger who came out of the eastern sea.

Mariko-san, it was your karma karma to die gloriously and live forever. Anjin-san, my friend, it is your to die gloriously and live forever. Anjin-san, my friend, it is your karma karma never to leave this land. It is mine to be Shgun. never to leave this land. It is mine to be Shgun.

Kogo, the goshawk, fluttered on his wrist and settled herself, watching him. Toranaga smiled at her. I did not choose to be what I am. It is my karma karma.

That year, at dawn on the twenty-first day of the tenth month, the Month without G.o.ds, the main armies clashed. It was in the mountains near Sekigahara, astride the North Road, the weather foul-fog, then sleet. By late afternoon Toranaga had won the battle and the slaughter began. Forty thousand heads were taken.

Three days later Is.h.i.+do was captured alive and Toranaga genially reminded him of the prophecy and sent him in chains to Osaka for public viewing, ordering the eta to plant the General Lord Is.h.i.+do's feet firm in the earth, with only his head outside the earth, and to invite pa.s.sersby to saw at the most famous neck in the realm with a bamboo saw. Is.h.i.+do lingered three days and died very old.