The Initiate Brother Duology (16 page)

“But Sire…” the captain stammered, “they will say you have grown soft!” He was obviously shocked at how lightly he was being treated.

“Good! Let Jaku Katta think that I am soft. The truth is I need all of you. I can afford no more indulgences among my retainers. Go.”

The man bowed and rose, crossing the garden on unsteady legs. He left by a concealed gate, his mind in turmoil. He could not overcome the shame he felt at being allowed to live.

Shonto reached into the fruit bowl distractedly.

“Are you sure, Lord Shonto?” Kamu said, hesitation in his voice. Only his age and position gave him the privilege of asking such a question. “The captain is right, the entire Empire will hear of this.”

Shonto glared at the old man. He was tempted to dismiss him, the question ignored. “No, Kamu, it is not wise, it is an impulse. A message for Jaku Katta to ponder. What is done is done. We are in a much better position now than we were an hour ago. Jaku Katta has revealed that which he meant to hide. For this knowledge I could forgive Rohku almost anything.”

Kamu shook his head forlornly, and spoke to no one in particular. “It is perhaps time for me to retire. I no longer see the things that my position requires me to see. I am adrift in all of this.”

“You were not here during the attack, so you could not have seen what I saw. The Black Tiger was
prepared
for the assault! He knew it was coming. Only after Yama was certainly dead, did Jaku claim this was an attack on me.

“I am amazed by this, Kamu. Two possibilities seem clear to me: someone wanted Jaku dead in my house by the hand of a Shonto guard—someone who was both an enemy of Jaku and mine—but Jaku got wind of the plot and decided to use it to his own advantage. It appears that he has saved my life, yeh?

“The second possibility is that Jaku planned the whole thing to unsettle me, to make me believe that Jaku is an honorable man or a thousand other reasons. Until we know more, it would be foolish to say.”

“Should we not ask ourselves if Yama had his own reasons for wanting Jaku dead?”

“This does not seem likely. A Shonto House Guard and the advisor to the Emperor? If Yama did have private reasons for wanting to destroy Jaku, then it would seem unlikely that the general would know about them or that Yama would do it here, where the Emperor would certainly hold me responsible. Everyone who knew Yama must be questioned; perhaps that will give us a clue.”

Shonto sipped his mead and stared into the void. “There is something else I need to know, Kamu. Quite recently, within the last two years, the old Komawara of Seh sold a piece of his fief. I need to know how much was paid for this land and I need to know today, before the midday meal. I will have Lord Komawara as a guest and we will share our fare with Tanaka and perhaps the young Brother. We will see. Have they arrived yet?”

“They are expected within the hour.”

“Good. I will meet with them as soon as they have bathed and refreshed themselves. Open the upper reception hall to the sun. That will be formal enough. You may go.”

The old warrior bowed and rose, backing out through the shoji the servant opened behind him.

“Oh, Kamu.” The steward stopped. “You will take Toko here as an assistant. Train him, and if you feel he is of any value then see what he can do, yeh? That is all.”

Shonto was alone, his mind racing to try to make sense of all the information the morning had provided. His thoughts settled on Jaku Katta.

That man, thought Shonto, is cunning beyond belief and willing to take great risks. But he is rash! Oh, he is rash! He believes this display will win me to his side. Jaku the brave, Jaku the prescient, yeh? Who could not want such a formidable man for his ally—or for a son-in-law? Shonto truly believed that Jaku was capable of precipitating a crisis in Wa in the belief that one as nimble as the Black Tiger could only gain by it. So he thinks that he can hold the Emperor in the palm of one hand and Shonto in the other, but he holds a
scorpion
and a
wasp
. Shonto smiled broadly. What fun we had today, Jaku! Don’t make too many mistakes too soon; we can have more fun yet. Shonto laughed aloud and banged the table with the flat of his hand, completely unaware of the servant kneeling behind him.

So, Shonto thought, I go to Seh and the Emperor believes this fits his plans, while Jaku thinks my journey is to his benefit. The game begins in earnest now. The board must be turned around so that only Shonto will benefit from Shonto’s moves.

There was one last piece of information that Shonto had that he was sure Rohka’s inquiries would not reveal. Jaku Katta had only once lost the kick boxing championship of Wa and that had been eight years earlier. If Shonto was right, the Black Tiger had been defeated by a young Botahist Neophyte. Shonto rubbed his hands together. What, he wondered, were the Botahist Brothers sending him?

The lord’s attention was drawn back to the garden. Cocking his head to one side he listened, then suddenly he laughed long and loud. The trampled patch of bamboo now whispered with an entirely different voice. The garden had regained its harmony.

O
NLY THE EMPEROR’S most trusted advisors were received in the private Audience Hall off the Imperial apartments. Only the most trusted advisors and spies.

The man who bowed his head to the floor before the Most Revered Son of Heaven had at one time served as a spy but had risen to the rank of general and Commander of the Imperial Guard.

“Be at your ease, Katta-sum,” the Emperor said, gesturing for the general to raise himself and kneel in comfort.

“Thank you, Sire.”

Kneeling before the dais in his black uniform, the Commander of the Imperial Guard seemed entirely relaxed, and that could be said of few who came before the Emperor.

“The autumn trade winds seem to have taken a deep breath, Katta-sum. It will be good if they carry with them all that we need to fill the treasury.”

“I’m sure they will, Sire. All the reports indicate that this will be an exceptional year.”

The Emperor nodded, waving the Dragon Fan in a gesture of salute. Voluminous robes of gold bearing the Imperial Dragon seemed to increase the Emperor’s size three-fold, making his sword of office, which stood to one side on a stand, seem insignificant.

“So tell me, General,” the Emperor said, snapping his fan closed, signifying an end to the polite formalities, “how was your visit to the esteemed Lord Shonto?”

“It was as you said, Sire.” Jaku shook his head slowly. “This young monk has some special significance attached to him. Shonto was unmoved when I told him of your displeasure at his decision to employ a Spiritual Advisor. A hint that his daughter could be vulnerable while he was in Seh was ignored, and when I informed him that you, Sire, were considering halting all sea traffic out of Yankura, to ‘starve the pirates,’ he merely shrugged as though it wouldn’t cost him triple to transport his goods in and out of his fief by land. There was no moving him, Sire.”

The Emperor’s smile disappeared to be replaced by a scowl. “These treacherous Brothers are up to no good, Katta-sum. They plot with the cunning Shonto, I know it. This stir over a young monk it is most uncommon.” The Son of Heaven shook his head. “What can be so unusual about a young Initiate? Something is very wrong here, I feel it.”

“I fear you are right, Sire. But soon we shall know more. The ship bringing Shonto his monk has docked. A messenger is coming, even now.”

“That fool Ashigaru? What can you expect from that fanatic?”

“Nothing directly, Sire. He will certainly fail, but the attempt will have been made by a Tomsoian priest. That will throw the Brotherhood into an uproar. And the one I sent to watch is most observant. I chose him personally. We will know the details of Ashigaru’s failure and that will give us a measure of Shonto’s monk.”

The Emperor snorted. “It were better if the ship and all aboard her went to the bottom. Then we would be rid of this Botahist thorn forever.”

“If the ship
could
be sunk, Sire. There’s an excellent captain in charge of a fast ship. A Shonto man, undoubtedly. He will not come by the usual sea lanes, and once he rounds Cape Ujii we dare not touch him. The traffic is too great and the act would be known.

“I think this way is best. We send Shonto and his Botahist servant north together. We keep the Lady Nishima here in the capital, and Shonto’s son will be sent to administer the family fief. The family will be spread throughout the Empire. Shonto will get no warm reception in the north, this being the slap in the face we intend. The northern lords are proud and will not take kindly to the suggestion that they cannot guard their own border against the degenerate barbarians. Shonto’s time in the north will not be pleasant, I assure you, Sire.”

The Emperor laughed. He nodded. “I am too impatient, Katta-sum. You do me good. Your foresight is most appreciated.”

Jaku bowed his head. “You do me too much honor, Sire. I am not worthy.”

The Emperor raised his eyebrows at this. “So what is this story of an assassin in Shonto’s garden?”

If Jaku was surprised, he showed no sign of it. “I was about to tell you, Sire.”

“Of course.”

“It was really a bungled attempt on Shonto by one of his own guards. He would not have fallen to it, he is too quick. It seemed appropriate that I dispatch the assassin, thereby curbing any suspicion that the Throne was behind the attempt. It was an embarrassing situation, Sire, Shonto threatened by one of his elite guards and the murderer stopped by your servant. The whole Empire will know of it by week’s end. Shonto will look the fool—and we send such a one north to save the men of Seh!” Jaku smirked.

“Don’t be so smug, General. It would take more than that to damage the reputation of Shonto Motoru. He is a shrewd man and you would do well not to underestimate him.”

“Of course, you are right, Sire. I apologize for my lack of humility.” Jaku touched his head to the mat.

“Shonto must be kept off balance and must never know what is afoot, Kattu-sum. He is too masterful a player and we cannot afford a single error.”

“Everything goes as planned, Sire. In three days Lord Shonto will depart for the north, leaving Lady Nishima here in the capital. Everything we had hoped for has been arranged in Seh—everything and more.”

“We still have concerns, Katta-sum. Promising the governorship to two different parties is a great risk.”

“But neither of them can speak of it openly, Sire. If Shonto were to hear even a rumor that someone was preparing to take his place with your approval—there would be no hope for the man. Shonto has never hesitated to eliminate a rival, nor has he ever failed. We must have at least two parties working against Shonto, Sire, and two will be just sufficient.

“In the off chance that Lord Shonto does find out about the plot…” the general shrugged, “we know nothing of it.”

“It is still a great risk! If our hand is seen in this, Shonto’s suspicion may turn to us entirely. That would be disastrous!”

“Shonto suspects everyone, Sire—everyone at all times. And after today he even has his own staff to fear.” Jaku smiled coldly. “We cannot fail, Sire, I am sure of it.”

“We hope you are right, Katta-sum. Others have thought they held the Shonto in their hands and have been cruelly surprised. Such surprises are not appreciated.” The Son of Heaven banged the heels of his hands together with force. “
Damn
my fool of a father! If he had done as I advised, he would have done away with the old Shonto when he had the opportunity!”

“But then the son would have sought revenge, Sire,” Jaku reminded him.

“Yes, and we would have fought him then as we fight him now! I see no difference. We cannot sit securely on the Throne while the Shonto live. They have too much power, too much ambition, and this Fanisan daughter—she is the eye of the storm that threatens to overwhelm us. If Shonto gives her to a Great House, then there will be war. There will be no choice. And oh, how he bides his time! Whom will he pick as ally? Whom?

“
Damn
that superstitious fool!
Damn him!
” the Son of Heaven banged his fist on his armrest and cursed his Imperial father with passion.

“Perhaps your father did you a favor, Sire,” Jaku said tentatively. “Now you fight Shonto Motoru on your terms and not on his. And this time there is no soothsayer secretly in Shonto’s pay to strike fear into our hearts if we move against the Shonto clan. Things are very different.”

“Yes, Katta-sum, you are right. I know you are.” The Emperor’s fit of anger passed as though it had never been. “We must talk again tomorrow. I wish to be kept informed on this matter at all times. And I’m still expecting a written report on the situation in Seh, Katta-sum, you haven’t forgotten?”

“It can be in your hand within the hour, Sire.”

“Good. Tomorrow, then.”

Jaku Katta touched his head to the mat, palms flat on the floor, then rose and backed out, leaving the Emperor alone in the heavily guarded Audience Hall.

The Emperor stroked his mustache and smiled, the heavy lines in his face disappearing. He laughed.