Ranger's Apprentice 10: The Emperor of Nihon-Ja (28 page)

Alyss rose, took her sword, a water canteen and some strips of smoked rabbit that Evanlyn had killed with her sling the day before, and made her way to the boat. Evanlyn followed. They took Evanlyn’s paddle out – Alyss wouldn’t be needing it – and she waded into the water, lifting the kayak and sliding it with her. As soon as it could float, Alyss slid gracefully into her seat and took a few smooth strokes, setting the little boat gliding across the calm water. She glanced back over her shoulder to Evanlyn, standing by the water’s edge.

‘Take care,’ she called.

Evanlyn waved in reply. ‘Of course,’ she said easily.

Walking up the shallow beach, she found a fallen log close to the treeline that gave her a comfortable spot to sit and wait. She took a seat, then produced the packet of candied fruit and spread half a dozen pieces on the log beside her.

She took a piece and placed it in her mouth, feeling the juices begin to run as the combination of tartness and sweetness took effect on her taste buds. She gave an exaggerated sigh of pleasure, smacking her lips several times to indicate how much she was enjoying the treat.

And waited.

It seemed an age, although in reality it was only two or three minutes, but her straining senses caught the slightest sound – a rustle in the ferns behind her and to her left. Senses as taut as a fiddle string, she strained to hear more.

Was that another slight rustle? It sounded a little closer than the first. Or was it the wind? She looked to her right, examining the ferns there closely. They weren’t moving. No, there was no wind, she thought.

There it was again! The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she could feel gooseflesh forming on her forearms. Something was there. Something was behind her, and moving closer to her. Every nerve in her body screamed at her to stand and turn and see what it was. This waiting, knowing something was there – no,
thinking
something was there – was all but intolerable.

But somehow, she stood it. She swallowed the piece of fruit, forcing it down a throat that had suddenly turned dry.

‘Mmmm,’ she said appreciatively. ‘That was good!’

She popped another piece into her mouth, made another exclamation of enjoyment, then, seemingly as an afterthought, she took a piece and placed it half a metre or so away from its companions, then gestured to it.

‘This is for you,’ she said, then repeated a little louder, ‘For you.’

There was definitely something behind her. She knew it now without any doubt. Something large was less than two metres away. She didn’t know
how
she knew it was large. She hadn’t heard any heavy footfall, nothing more than the slightest rustle of leaves and twigs. But there was a large presence there, as if the very life force of whatever it was had impinged upon her senses.

She realised she was holding her breath. Her heart was hammering inside her rib cage – so loud she was sure that whatever it was behind her could hear it.

She began to sing – one of the gentle country songs that she’d heard Will singing as he accompanied himself on the mandola.

‘Oh, Annalie dancing.

A shaft of light fell on her as I saw

Annalie dancing

and haven’t I seen Annalie, somewhere before?’

Her voice quavered with tension. She warbled on and off the notes as she tried to sing them truly.

I sound terrified, she thought. Although maybe this…whatever it is…will just think I’m a lousy singer.

She drew breath for the next verse but it never came. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement.

A large hand, with long, claw-like nails and covered in thick red-brown hair, reached from behind her and took the candied apricot from the log.

The men selected for the attack
hyaku
were paraded on the exercise ground in two groups of fifty. Formed up in three extended ranks, the Kikori looked impressive. The weak sunlight shone off the gleaming points of their javelins, and caught the iron bindings and reinforcing strips on their man-high shields and leather helmets. The lines of their formation were ruler-straight as they stood before Will, Horace, Halt and Selethen. Horace and Selethen would command a group of fifty each – or a
goju
, as they had called the formation. Will and Halt would stand back and stay in overall command – although Halt had ceded this responsibility to the younger Ranger.

‘They’re your men,’ he said. ‘You trained them and men deserve to be led by the leader they know and trust.’

Will nodded nervously. He knew Halt was right. All the same, he was glad the experienced grey-bearded Ranger would be on hand if needed. He looked to where Horace was watching him, and nodded. The young warrior drew in a breath, then called out an order in a ringing parade ground voice.

‘Hyaku!’

The men had been standing at parade rest, their feet apart and their javelins, shafts resting on the ground, extended forward at arm’s length. At the warning command, their feet stamped together and the javelins came to the vertical position.

‘Open order!’ Horace called. The front rank took two long paces forward. The rear rank took two back. The three ranks were now separated by a two-metre gap, leaving room for their commanders to move through and inspect them.

This was Horace and Selethen’s job. They selected a
goju
each and moved quickly along the lines, checking equipment, making sure each man had his three short stabbing spears in a quiver-like arrangement at his right hip, checking shields for any sign of looseness or fraying in the straps, glancing at javelin heads to see that they were firmly attached and gleaming from a recent sharpening.

‘Looks good,’ Halt said quietly.

Horace and Selethen were more than halfway through their inspection and so far, neither had stopped to reprimand any of the troops for missing or faulty equipment. Obviously, the turnout was near perfect. Horace did stop once and straighten a soldier’s leather helmet, tugging the chin strap a little tighter to secure it more firmly, but that was all.

The Kikori had risen to the challenge splendidly and Will felt a warm sense of pride in them. Not so long ago, they had been simple timber workers. Now they were soldiers, with a soldier’s pride in their own ability and in their own unit.

‘Troops inspected and ready,’ Horace reported.

Will nodded. ‘Close them up and stand them at rest, Horace.’

The tall warrior gave the orders and the front and rear ranks closed back in to their original positions. One hundred feet stamped apart and one hundred javelin heads thrust forward as one.

Will stepped forward, moving closer to the ranks so that they would hear him more clearly. He studied the faces under the leather and iron helmets. The men were grim and determined. But there was a look of subdued excitement in many of the eyes looking back at him. No apprehension or fear, he was glad to see.

‘Goju Kuma! Goju Taka!’
he said, and now every eye was on him. They had named the two
goju
for the two leaders.
Goju Kuma
was the Bear fifty, led by Horace, who was now known to everyone as
Kurokuma
.
Goju Taka
reflected the nickname that had been given to Selethen.
Taka
meant hawk, and Will assumed the name derived from Selethen’s prominent nose, which had some similarity to the curved beak of a bird of prey.

‘Tomorrow is the time to put all your hard work into practice,’ he continued. ‘Tomorrow is the day when you will strike the Emperor’s first blow at the traitor Arisaka!’

There was a growl of anger through the ranks as he said the name of the hated rebel leader.

‘Remember your training. Remember what we have practised. If you do this, you will achieve a great victory for your Emperor. But you must remember your training. Look around you. Look at the men beside you and behind you! Study their faces.’

He paused while one hundred heads turned, while eyes made contact and heads nodded in recognition. When they had settled again, he continued.

‘These men are your comrades. These are your brothers. These are the men you fight with. These are the men you trust to stand beside you. These are the men who trust you to stand firm beside them! Be worthy of their trust!’

Again, a deep-throated rumble of agreement ran through the ranks of armed men. Will felt he had said enough. He had no time for lengthy, florid speeches from commanders on the eve of battle. They were usually made to please the commander’s sense of self-importance. He had just one more thing he wanted to remind them of.

‘Kikori soldiers!’ he shouted. ‘How do we fight?’

The reply came in a roar from the ranks.

‘Issho ni!’
they told him. ‘Together!’

‘How do we fight?’ he asked, louder still, and the roar came back louder as well.

‘Issho ni!’

‘How?’ he asked them one more time, and this time the valley echoed to their reply.

‘Issho ni!’

On an impulse, he drew his saxe and brandished it high above his head. The two
goju
responded, holding their javelins high, then pounding them back to the frozen ground with a resounding crash of wood and metal.

Behind him, a deep, penetrating voice called a single word.

‘Chocho!’

The one hundred troops in front of him responded instantly, echoing the cry and turning it into a chant.

‘Chocho! Chocho! Chocho!’

Puzzled, and a little taken aback, Will turned to see that Shigeru had approached while he had been speaking. The Emperor was dressed in full armour, but no helmet. His two
katana
were thrust through his belt, their long hilts protruding before him like the crossed horns of a dangerous animal. Shigeru continued to lead the chant, dropping his hand on Will’s shoulder.

‘Chocho! Chocho! Chocho!’
the men roared and, vaguely, Will realised that this somehow applied to him. Then Shigeru held up his hand for silence and the roaring voices gradually died down. Will disengaged himself and stepped back deferentially, sensing that Shigeru wanted to address his troops.

Horace was grinning hugely as Will joined him.

‘What the devil is
Chocho
?’ Will whispered.

Horace’s grin broadened. ‘You are. It’s what the men call you,’ he said. Then he added, ‘It’s a term of great respect.’

Behind them, Halt nodded confirmation. ‘Great respect,’ he agreed. There was the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth and Will knew he would have to find out the meaning of the word before much longer. But he had no more time to think about it as Shigeru began to speak.

‘Kikori, I am honoured to have you as my soldiers. I am proud of your commitment and your courage and your loyalty. You have your Emperor’s gratitude.’

There was silence around the parade ground now. These were simple timber cutters, peasants for whom, up until recently, the Emperor had been a distant and much revered concept, way above their reach and their station. Now he lived among them and spoke directly to them in terms of the greatest respect. His words were simple but the sincerity behind them was all too obvious and the Kikori felt their hearts swelling with pride. Such was the charisma of this man that they would die for him. Shigeru seemed to sense this and he continued.

‘Soldiers! I know you would die in my service.’

There was an instant roar of assent and he immediately raised his hands and his voice to quell it.

‘But I do not want this!’ The shouting died away and the faces that watched him were puzzled.

‘I want you to
live
in my service!’ he shouted and they roared their acclaim once more. When the sound of their voices died down, he continued. ‘
Chocho
has taught you a new way to fight. He has taught you the code of
Issho ni
! If you are faithful to this code, you will win a great victory.’ He paused. ‘And I will be there to see it! I am coming with you!’

Now the cheers were deafening. Shigeru moved forward to walk among his men and they broke ranks to surround him, cheering him, bowing to him, reaching out to touch him.

‘What?’ Will said. ‘What is he talking about?’ He made to follow the Emperor, to draw him back.

A hand seized his arm from behind him and he turned to see Halt’s face. His old mentor was shaking his head.

‘He’s right, Will. He has to be there.’

‘But if we’re beaten! If we fail…he’ll be taken by Arisaka!’ Will said helplessly.

Halt nodded. ‘That’s right. But he’s willing to gamble on these men. He believes in them. Don’t you?’

‘Well, yes, of course. But if he’s there…’

‘If he’s there, they’ll fight to keep him safe. You know they can beat the Senshi. I know it and Shigeru knows it. The only people who aren’t sure are the men themselves. Oh, they’re fine here and now. But when the crunch comes, they’re going to be facing an enemy they’ve never felt worthy to face before. Our biggest potential danger tomorrow is that, faced by warriors who they have always believed are their superiors, they’ll lose that confidence. And if they do, they’ll break. They’ll fight bravely. But they’ll die bravely – because they will believe they have no right to win.’

‘But –’ Will began but now Horace interrupted.

‘Halt’s right, Will,’ he said. ‘If they know Shigeru is there and that he trusts in them, they’ll have greater trust in themselves.’

‘He could be killed or taken prisoner,’ Will protested.

‘No,’ Horace said. ‘Your men won’t let that happen. He knows he has to be there.’

‘He’s a great man,’ Selethen said quietly. ‘The sort of man you’re proud to serve.’

‘They think so,’ Halt said, gesturing to where Shigeru’s bare head could be seen, moving among the jostling crowd of helmets and javelin points. ‘And they’ll need that sort of pride if they’re going to win.’ He paused, watching the scene on the valley floor through slitted eyes.

‘And they
are
going to win,’ he added. He saw that Will was still doubtful about the entire idea and clapped him on the back cheerfully. ‘Try and have some faith in your men, Will. At least as much as the Emperor does.’

‘Isn’t there any way I can stop this?’ Will asked despairingly, and this time it was Horace’s turn to slap his shoulder.

‘Of course. Just figure out a way to tell an Emperor that you forbid him to do something he’s determined on. That should be easy for someone as devious as you.’

His three friends all grinned at him. Then Halt jerked his head towards the narrow gully that led to the secret pass.

‘Let’s get going. We’ve got a battle to win tomorrow.’