Shogun (The Asian Saga Chronology) (151 page)

"The Father-Visitor said you were to tell me now."

Mariko realized she had no alternative.  The die was cast.  She told him about the plot against his life.  All that she knew.  He, too, scoffed at the rumor until she told him exactly where the information had come from.

"His confessor?  Him?"

"Yes.  So sorry."

"I regret Uraga's dead," Kiyama said, even more mortified that the night attack on the Anjin-san had been such a fiasco—as the other ambush had been—and now had killed the one man who could prove his enemy Onoshi was a traitor.  "Uraga will burn in hellfire forever for that sacrilege.  Terrible what he did.  He deserves excommunication and hellfire, but even so, he did me a service by telling it—if it's true."  Kiyama looked at her, an old man suddenly.  "I can't believe Onoshi would do that.  Or that Lord Harima would be a party to it."

"Yes.  Could you—could you ask Lord Harima if it's true?"

"Yes, but he'd never reveal something like that.  I wouldn't, would you?  So sad,
neh?
  So terrible are the ways of man."

"Yes."

"I will not believe it, Mariko-san.  Uraga's dead so we can never get proof.  I will take precautions but . . . but I cannot believe it."

"Yes.  One thought, Sire.  Isn't it very strange, the Lord General putting a guard on the Anjin-san?"

"Why strange?"

"Why protect him?  When he detests him?  Very strange,
neh?
  Could it be that now the Lord General also sees the Anjin-san as a possible weapon against the Catholic
daimyos?
"

"I don't follow you."

"If, God forbid, you died, Sire, Lord Onoshi becomes supreme in Kyushu,
neh?
  What could the Lord General do to curb Onoshi?  Nothing—except, perhaps, use the Anjin-san."

"It's possible," Kiyama said slowly.

"There's only one reason to protect the Anjin-san—to use him.  Where?  Only against the Portuguese—and thus the Kyushu Christian
daimyos
. 
Neh?
"

"It's possible."

"I believe the Anjin-san's as valuable to you as to Onoshi or Ishido or my Master.  Alive.  His knowledge is enormous.  Only knowledge can protect us from barbarians, even Portuguese."

Kiyama said scornfully, "We can crush them, expel them any time we like.  They're gnats on a horse, nothing more."

"If the Holy Mother Church conquers and all the land becomes Christian as we pray it will, what then?  Will
our
laws survive?  Will
bushido
survive?  Against the Commandments?  I suggest it won't—like elsewhere in the Catholic world—not when the Holy Fathers are supreme, not unless we are prepared."

He did not answer her.

Then she said, "Sire, I beg you, ask the Anjin-san what has happened elsewhere in the world."

"I will not.  I think he's bewitched you, Mariko-san.  I believe the Holy Fathers.  I think your Anjin-san is taught by Satan, and I beg you to realize his heresy has already infected you.  Three times you used 'Catholic' when you meant Christian.  Doesn't that imply you agree with him there are two Faiths, two equally true versions of the True Faith?  Isn't your threat tonight a knife in the belly of the Heir?  And against the interests of the Church?"  He got up.  "Thank you for your information.  Go with God."

Mariko took a small, thin, sealed scroll of paper from her sleeve.  "Lord Toranaga asked me to give you this."

Kiyama looked at the unbroken seal.  "Do you know what's in it, Mariko-san?"

"Yes.  I was ordered to destroy it and pass on the message verbally if I was intercepted."

Kiyama broke the seal.  The message reiterated Toranaga's wish for peace between them, his complete support of the Heir and the succession, and briefly gave the information about Onoshi.  It ended, "I don't have proof about Lord Onoshi but Uraga-noh-Tadamasa will have that and, deliberately, he has been made available to you in Osaka for questioning if you wish.  However I do have proof that Ishido has also betrayed the secret agreement between you and him giving the Kwanto to your descendants, once I am dead.  The Kwanto has been secretly promised to my brother, Zataki, in return for betraying me, as he has already done.  Please excuse me, old comrade, but you have been betrayed too.  Once I am dead, you and your line will be isolated and destroyed, as will the whole Christian Church.  I beg you to reconsider.  Soon you will have proof of my sincerity."

Kiyama reread the message and she watched him as she had been ordered.  'Watch him so carefully, Mariko-san,' Toranaga had told her.  'I'm not sure of his agreement with Ishido about the Kwanto.  Spies have reported it but I'm not sure.  You'll know from what he does—or doesn't do—if you give him the message at the right time.'  She had seen Kiyama react.  So that's also true, she thought.

The old
daimyo
looked up and said flatly, "And you are the proof of his sincerity,
neh?
  The burnt offering, the sacrificial lamb?"

"No, Sire."

"I don't believe you.  And I don't believe him.  The Onoshi treason, perhaps.  But the rest . . . Lord Toranaga's just up to his old tricks of mixing half-truths and honey and poison.  I'm afraid it's you who've been betrayed, Mariko-san."

CHAPTER 54

"We'll leave at noon."

"No, Mariko-san."  Lady Sazuko was almost in tears.

"Yes," Kiri said.  "Yes, we'll leave as you say."

"But they'll stop us," the young girl burst out.  "It's all so useless."

"No," Mariko told her, "you're wrong, Sazuko-chan, it's very necessary."

Kiri said, "Mariko-san's right.  We have orders."  She suggested details of their leaving.  "We could easily be ready by dawn if you want."

"Noon is when we should leave.  That's what
he
said, Kiri-chan," Mariko replied.

"We'll need very few things,
neh?
"

"Yes."

Sazuko said, "Very few!  So sorry, but it's all so silly, they'll stop us!"

"Perhaps they won't, child," Kiri said.  "Mariko says they'll let us go.  Lord Toranaga thinks they'll let us go.  So presume that they will.  Go and rest.  Go on.  I must talk to Mariko-san."

The girl went away, greatly troubled.

Kiri folded her hands.  "Yes, Mariko-san?"

"I'm sending a cipher by carrier pigeon telling Lord Toranaga what happened tonight.  It will go at first light.  Ishido's men will certainly try to destroy the rest of my carrier birds tomorrow if there's trouble and I can't bring them here.  Is there any message you want to send at once?"

"Yes.  I'll write it now.  What do you think's going to happen?"

"Lord Toranaga's sure they'll let us go, if I'm strong."

"I don't agree.  And, please excuse me, I don't think you put much faith in the attempt either."

"You're wrong.  Oh, of course they may stop us tomorrow and if they do there'll be the most terrible quarrel and threats but they'll all mean nothing." Mariko laughed.  "Oh, such threats, Kiri-san, and they'll go on all day and all night.  But at noon the next day we'll be allowed to go."

Kiri shook her head.  "If we're allowed to escape, every other hostage in Osaka will leave too.  Ishido will be weakened badly and he'll lose face.  He can't afford that."

"Yes."  Mariko was very satisfied.  "Even so, he's trapped."

Kiri watched her.  "In eighteen days our Master'll be here,
neh?
  He must be here."

"Yes."

"So sorry, then why is it so important for us to leave at once?"

"He thinks it important enough, Kiri-san.  Enough to order it."

"Ah, then he has a plan?"

"Doesn't he always have many plans?"

"Once the Exalted One agreed to be present, then our Master was trapped,
neh?
"

"Yes."

Kiri glanced at the shoji door.  It was closed.  She leaned forward and said softly, "Then why did he ask me secretly to put that thought into the Lady Ochiba's head?"

Mariko's confidence began to fade.  "He told you to do that?"

"Yes.  From Yokosé, after he'd seen Lord Zataki for the first time.  Why did he spring the trap himself?"

"I don't know."

Kiri bit her lips.  "I wish I knew.  We'll soon know, but I don't think you're telling me everything you know, Mariko-chan."

Mariko began to bridle but Kiri touched her, again cautioning her to silence, and whispered.  "His dispatch to me told me to trust you completely so let's say no more than that.  I do trust you, Mariko-chan, but that doesn't stop my mind from working. 
Neh?
"

"Please excuse me."

"I'm so proud of you," Kiri said in a normal voice.  "Yes, standing up like that to Ishido and all of them.  I wish I had your courage."

"It is easy for me.  Our Master said we were to leave."

"It's very dangerous, what we do, I think.  Even so, how can I help?"

"Give me your support."

"You have that.  You've always had that."

"I'll stay here with you till dawn, Kiri.  But first I have to talk to the Anjin-san."

"Yes.  I'd better go with you."

The two women left Kiri's apartments, an escort of Browns with them, passing other Browns who bowed, clearly enormously proud of Mariko.  Kiri led down corridors, across the expanse of the great audience room, and into the corridor beyond.  Browns were on guard here, and Grays.  When they saw Mariko, all bowed, Browns and Grays equally honoring her.  Both Kiri and Mariko were taken aback to find Grays in their domain.  They hid their discomfiture and said nothing.

Kiri motioned at a door.

"Anjin-san?" Mariko called out.

"
Hai?
"  The door opened.  Blackthorne stood there.  Behind him in the room were two more Grays.  "Hello, Mariko-san."

"Hello."  Mariko glanced at the Grays.  "I have to talk to the Anjin-san privately."

"Please talk to him, Lady," their captain said with great deference.  "Unfortunately we are ordered by Lord Ishido personally on pain of immediate death not to leave him alone."

Yoshinaka, tonight's officer-of-the-watch, strode up.  "Excuse me, Lady Toda, I had to agree to these twenty guards for the Anjin-san.  It was Lord Ishido's personal request.  So sorry."

"As Lord Ishido is only concerned with the Anjin-san's safety, they're welcome," she said, not at all pleased inside.

Yoshinaka said to the captain of the Grays, "I will be responsible for him while the Lady Toda's with him.  You can wait outside."

"So sorry," this samurai said firmly.  "I and my men have no alternative but to watch with our own eyes."

Kiri said, "I will be glad to stay.  Of course someone's necessary."

"So sorry, Kiritsubo-san, we must be present.  Please excuse me, Lady Toda," the captain continued uncomfortably, "but none of us speaks the barbarian."

"No one suggests you would be so impolite as to listen," said Mariko, near anger.  "But barbarian customs are different from ours."

Yoshinaka said, "Obviously the Grays must obey their lord.  You were totally correct tonight that a samurai's first duty is to his liege lord, Lady Toda, and totally correct to point it out in public."

"Perfectly correct, Lady," the captain of the Grays agreed with the same measure of pride.  "There's no other reason for a samurai's life,
neh?
"

"Thank you," she said, warmed by their respect.

"We should also honor the Anjin-san's customs if we can, Captain," Yoshinaka said.  "Perhaps I have a solution.  Please follow me."  He led the way back to the audience room.  "Please, Lady, would you take the Anjin-san and sit there."  He pointed to the far dais.  "The Anjin-san's guards can stay by the doors and do their duty to their liege lord, we can do ours, and you may talk as you wish, according to the Anjin-san's customs. 
Neh?
"

Mariko explained to Blackthorne what Yoshinaka had said, then continued prudently in Latin, "They will never leave thee tonight.  We have no alternative—except I can order them killed at once if that is thy wish."

"My wish is to talk to thee privately," Blackthorne replied.  "But not at the cost of lives.  I thank thee for asking me."

Mariko turned to Yoshinaka.  "Very well, thank you, Yoshinaka-san.  Would you please send someone for incense braziers to keep away the mosquitoes."

"Of course.  Please excuse me, Lady, is there any further news of the Lady Yodoko?"

"No, Yoshinaka-san.  We heard she's still resting easily, without pain."  Mariko smiled at Blackthorne.  "Shall we go and sit there, Anjin-san?"

He followed her.  Kiri went back to her own quarters and the Grays stood at the doors of the audience room.  The captain of the Grays was near Yoshinaka, a few paces away from the others.  "I don't like this," he whispered roughly.

"Is the Lady Toda going to pull out his sword and kill him?  No offense, but where are your wits?"

Yoshinaka limped away to check the other posts.  The captain looked at the dais.  Mariko and the Anjin-san were seated opposite each other, well lit by flares.  He could not hear what they were saying.  He focused on their lips but was still no wiser, though his eyes were very good and he could speak Portuguese.  I suppose they're talking the Holy Fathers' language again, he told himself.  Hideous language, impossible to learn.

Still, what does it matter?  Why shouldn't she talk to the heretic in private if that's her pleasure?  Neither are long for this earth.  So very sad.  Oh, Blessed Madonna, take her forever into thy keeping for her bravery.

"Latin is safer, Anjin-san."  Her fan sent a droning mosquito skittering.

"They can hear us from here?"

"No, I do not believe so, not if we keep our voices softened and talk as thou hast taught me with so little movement of the mouth."

"Good.  What occurred with Kiyama?"

"I love thee."

"Thou . . ."

"I have missed thee."

"And I thee.  How can we meet alone?"

"Tonight it is not possible.  Tomorrow night will be possible, my love.  I have a plan."

"Tomorrow?  But what about thy departure?"

"Tomorrow they may stop me, Anjin-san—please do not worry.  The next day we will all be free to leave as we wish.  Tomorrow night, if I am stopped, I will be with thee."