by Ryan Kirk
The general’s eyes went wide, and hands went to swords around the tent. They were moments away from a fight when Mari’s voice interrupted. “Thank you, Koji, but that won’t be necessary. General Fumio’s doubt is reasonable. He’s been a part of court intrigue long enough to suspect me.”
Koji gave the general a long, hard stare before pulling away. He sheathed his sword in one quick motion and stepped back into the row of guards.
The silence between the two leaders practically crackled with tension, but Mari sipped patiently at her tea, eventually breaking the quiet. “I will provide what evidence I can. Kyo hired a young woman to impersonate me and who will testify to her crimes. If you honor the word of the blades, there are some who came to rescue me from Katashi’s camp. And if you lend me your support, in time I will have Katashi’s confession firsthand.”
Fumio remained unconvinced. “Why would Kyo do such a thing?”
“I wish I knew. I loved my brother, but Hiromi ruled poorly. He was not prepared the way Juro was. Perhaps Kyo believed he acted to benefit the house. Or maybe it was a simple lust for power. That is a question I cannot answer.”
Fumio sipped at his tea, more thoughtful than before. “What would you have of me?”
“Answers, first. What was your mission?”
The general paused before answering. “Hiromi believed there would be an opportunity to go north, cross the river, and flank Katashi’s forces. It was a wishful plan, but I had my orders.”
Mari nodded. “A strike force behind enemy lines. What was your objective?”
“Destroy the lands of House Amari and assassinate Lord Katashi if possible.”
Mari looked beyond the tent towards the collection of soldiers in the distance. “With only that?”
Fumio looked pained. “They are elite soldiers, but yes. I argued against the plan.”
They each took a sip of their tea. Mari seemed to be taking the measure of the general. “I plan to become the head of my house. I realize this goes against tradition, but the people must be kept safe. Will you join me?”
Fumio looked around at the assembled gathering. “Do I have a choice? Your blades are a potent force.”
Mari’s voice was stern. “You will always have a choice. Refuse, and your rank will be stripped down to private. You will still serve the house and the people, if that is your wish. Otherwise, you may retire. Accept my offer and we can prevent this war from causing even more destruction.”
Fumio gazed at her for a long time. Finally, he gave a grim smile. “You remind me of Juro at times.”
Mari gave Fumio a bow. “That is the greatest compliment I could receive. Thank you.”
“I will bring my force up to your camp by the end of the day.”
There was no more to be said. They finished their tea, bowed to one another, and left for their respective forces.
The council couldn’t have asked for better weather to hold their gathering. The sun shone brightly in the sky against tufts of wispy clouds. The cool air coming down from the snow-covered mountains swirled with the warm air from the plains below, creating a temperature that encouraged the weary warriors to bask in the sunlight.
Despite the nearly perfect weather, Koji felt uneasy. And Asa wasn’t helping. Busy with other tasks, they hadn’t had much time to speak since the parley yesterday, but when they did talk, Asa only wanted to discuss Koji’s actions.
Koji couldn’t understand. From his perspective, nothing noteworthy had occurred. But Asa was insistent.
“Koji, do you trust me?”
His pace didn’t slow. If they made it to the gathering, this conversation would end. “Of course.”
“Then why don’t you believe me?”
“Because what you’re saying makes no sense.”
“Think, Koji! You were surrounded by other blades. Did anyone else have their sword out?”
Koji stopped and spun around. They already knew he was faster than most blades, so though he agreed she was right about the facts, her interpretation was beyond reason. She was pushing him to accept an answer to a question he didn’t have.
Asa’s frustration burst through. “I’m not the only one, Koji. You can ask the others. The blades are whispering about it.”
Koji barely contained his own frustration. “What do you want from me, Asa?”
“For you to realize that you’re stronger and faster than before. I wish you could have seen it from my perspective. I barely saw you move!”
He didn’t have any answers for her. Little had changed in his mind, but she wanted more.
“What was it like?”
“Nothing seemed different. I’ve already told you that.”
Asa looked as though she didn’t believe him, but didn’t push the issue.
Thankfully they came upon the gathering only a few moments later. Hajimi, the leader of the blades, had selected a location that acted as a natural amphitheater. There was a small hillside overlooking a flat area suitable for speaking. The four surviving blades of the council sat near the base of the hill while the others sat higher. All concerned with the fate of the blades were welcome to attend. The space wasn’t as convenient as their destroyed hall, but every blade should still be able to hear the debate.
Two facts caught Koji’s attention. The first was just how few blades there were. Koji estimated there were several hundred present. There were those still out in the Kingdom, of course, but their numbers were greatly diminished. There was no doubting that. He suspected there were less than a thousand blades left in total, a thought that made him shudder.
The second fact was how few dayblades there were. Traditional wisdom held that dayblades were less common than nightblades because the skills were more difficult to learn. Koji had always heard it said there were about three nightblades for every dayblade. But here the number seemed closer to ten. He looked on a sea of black robes with only the occasional white robe. Had the dayblades been hit harder by the chaos in the land, or were the numbers he’d been raised with incorrect?
He and Asa took a seat on the hillside, about halfway up the slope, but he couldn’t shake the feeling he was the center of attention.
Koji wished for the relative anonymity he had once enjoyed. He knew his strength. That was simply the truth of the situation. But he didn’t believe his deeds deserved the recognition he received. His shame grew even more acute through the awareness of the crimes he had committed. He had helped burn the palace. He had killed the king and helped start this war. No matter what good he did, no matter how skilled he was, he wasn’t sure his mistakes would ever wash away.
Before the meeting began, the two of them were joined by Junko, the young nightblade Asa had rescued from Starfall. She was often around and seized any moment she could to be next to her savior. The girl had been training daily since the siege, eager to prove herself to Asa. Asa, unfortunately, gave the girl little attention. Koji supposed she had other problems on her mind.
Hajimi stood up to address the crowd. Even from a distance, he looked as reduced as the gathering over which he presided. He had once looked strong, the sort of man one fought only if necessary. His eyes still blazed, but the muscle had fallen off his bones in the past couple of moons, and the dark bags under his eyes confirmed that he was getting no sleep.
His voice still carried over the gathered assembly. “Our home is gone, but our strength remains. We gather today to decide what direction our people will take. The floor is open to suggestions and thoughts.”
Koji settled in for a long discussion. Typically, the council made their decisions and let the rest of the blades know. The rumor that had circulated was that Hajimi was uncomfortable making a decision without knowing the thoughts of the people. Koji found the idea detestable. At times like this, blades needed strong leadership, not a poll. There would be dozens, if not hundreds, of different ideas presented today, with no clear direction forthcoming. It was no way to lead.
One by one, blades stepped forward and
spoke their minds, the assembly attentive and interested. Koji noticed a pattern after only a few speakers. Most everyone wanted to rebuild Starfall. They wanted to reclaim the past and the power they once possessed. There were suggestions of getting the lords to bend their knees to Hajimi, and one dayblade went so far as to suggest the next king be pulled from their own ranks, an idea as illegal as it was dangerous. But no one spoke against this line of thought with any authority.
Koji looked around the hillside. Most of the blades shifted back and forth uncomfortably. Those coming down were vocal, but Koji saw plenty of glances among the assembly. Most understood that the speakers were promoting a dream that could never come true, but no one had the courage to speak the truth. And the more speakers that advocated negotiating with the houses from a position of power, the more people seemed to believe this foolish delusion.
He felt sick, listening as the debate quickly became more and more foolish. The winds of change had come to sweep up the blades, and all they could think of was returning to the way things had been. The better past they spoke of seemed more imagination than reality, yet the illusion slowly won over many converts.
He couldn’t allow it. The truth seemed so obvious. It hung over the gathering like a thick, suffocating blanket, but no one acknowledged it. He stood up to be recognized and heard the whispers grow in volume. Even Asa glanced up. She knew his mind and he felt her support. She was too self-interested to speak in front of the crowd, but knowing he had at least one supporter gave him the strength to speak with courage.
Hajimi formally recognized Koji as he came to the front. He swallowed hard as he searched for the right words. His instinct was to fight, an instinct honed over a lifetime of training. But agreement would get them farther.
“While I respect the voices who have come before me, I must disagree.”
Koji wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he felt as if large parts of the crowd were leaning forward to listen.
“There is a harsh truth we must acknowledge. Much of what I’ve heard today expresses a desire for the world to return to the way things once were. I understand this desire. I want my home back, and I want the respect that was once mine by virtue of these robes I’ve earned the right to wear. But the Great Cycle turns only in one direction. Look around you.” He paused for emphasis and to find his next words.
“There should be thousands of us here. Each of us has lost friends and family, people we trained with and fought beside. Most of the people in the Kingdom want us dead. You all know this. We’ve all seen the fear and the hatred in the eyes of those we serve.
“Yes, there is strength here, the strength to change the course of the future. But not the strength to bend the Kingdom to our will.”
Koji thought he heard some angry mutterings, but he wasn’t deterred. “Our goal can’t simply be to bring the past back to life. That’s no better than an adult wishing for the responsibilities of a child. And we are not children. I am not wise enough to know exactly what should be done, but I do have one suggestion.
“For now, we follow Lady Mari. She is unconventional, but those of us who have met her and seen her in person have been impressed. She offers us shelter while the other lords plan sieges. Her house is rich in resources but poor in people. Without us, her lands would fall to the other lords. But together, we may yet bring balance to the Kingdom.”
Koji thought about saying more, but his points had been made. Speaking longer would be disrespectful. He bowed and took his seat. Even Asa looked thoughtful, and that was more of a compliment than he expected.
The speaker after Koji refuted many of the points he had made, but Koji could feel the change in attitude among the crowd. His voice had stopped the tyranny of the vocal minority. One by one, other speakers came down, each one essentially saying they agreed with Koji. Some differed in details, but there was one fact they all agreed on: their best chance of survival lay with Mari. The future was unknown, but their immediate steps seemed obvious.
When the council finally made its decision as the sun was setting, it was almost a bygone conclusion.
The blades would align with House Kita.
Several days later, Mari’s ambitions were put to yet another test, the vote of her army.
Koji and several other nightblades were asked to form Mari’s escort for the event. As far as Koji knew, nothing like this had ever happened in the history of the Kingdom. He listened to Mari’s arguments, but still wasn’t sure he believed them. Leaders shouldn’t turn to the people they led for support. Their duty was to lead, and the duty of others was to follow.
Mari had laughed when he told her this, and had asked if he thought that was the way the world worked.
“It is if you say so.”
She had laughed even harder. Koji was pleased he could bring her some happiness, but was stung she thought so little of his outlook. “Koji, I’m sorry if I offend. The world would be a much easier place to live in if that was true. But do you think what is true of you is true of others? How many would follow simply because they thought it was their duty?”
Koji acknowledged her point. “But what if they decide you are not fit to lead them?”
“Then there’s nothing I could do anyway. Any ruler who relies solely on fear or force is eventually overthrown. History has taught us that much. I couldn’t use the blades in that way, either. I would have no choice but to step down.”
Koji couldn’t bring himself to accept the chance she was taking. “There has to be a better way.”
She had won the argument that day, but Koji still didn’t support Mari’s ideas. They were strange and untested, with far too many questions. The risk of failure seemed too great to him. Koji had watched the way Mari fought for the votes of her soldiers. She had publicly revealed herself as the Lady in White, the rebel who had fed villages throughout the winter. She traveled with a nightblade escort wherever she went, both for protection and to remind the people that their fates under her leadership would be tied together.
But more than that, she was present. She led archery training, proving that though she was a woman, she wasn’t without martial ability. Her skill with a bow surpassed all but the best in the army, and more than a few silver pieces had been lost by the men betting against her.
Mari attended every meeting the commanders held. Koji had escorted her during one and been impressed. She questioned the assumptions of the commanders, asked intelligent questions, and took the advice given. She openly acknowledged that she lacked the training necessary to be a general, but she was learning.
Mari ate meals with the men, spending most of the time listening to their concerns and complaints. At first, the men behaved awkwardly around her. After all, none of them had experience dining with royalty, much less female royalty. But over the course of a half moon, they had come to accept her.
There was still opposition, of course. A handful of the mid-level commanders couldn’t bear the idea of taking orders from a woman. Under the current arrangement they held their positions, but if Mari did become the choice of the army, their rank would be in jeopardy. Unsurprisingly, some of their attitudes had trickled to the men who served under them. Koji didn’t know how deep the attitudes ran, though. Among the blades, having a woman in command was well accepted. Blades were given authority matching their skills, regardless of sex, but the rest of the Kingdom didn’t feel the same.
The army gathered on the same hillside the blades had met on several days before. Mari stood before them, prepared to address the crowd.
When everyone was settled and quiet, she began. Koji stood well behind her, per her instructions. She wanted him to be visible, but not so close that anyone believed she was taking orders from the blades.
“Gentlemen. Today we make history. Never before has the nobility of a house asked for the right to lead. I will not waste your time with fancy words. Most of you have seen me in battle. You’ve seen the way I lead, and in the past days, you have had your chance to ask q
uestions of me. No doubt you have already made your decision. I know how unusual this circumstance is, and while I believe that I can lead this army and protect our people, I will not ask anyone to fight for me who does not want to. That is not my way.”
With that, her speech, short as it was, was over. Koji had expected more.
She stepped back, and General Fumio stepped forward to give the instructions for voting. Prior to the gathering of the army, every soldier had been asked to find a pebble. In front of them, where the Council of the Blades had sat days ago, was a small, covered structure. Inside were two baskets, one labeled with Mari’s name. One at a time, every soldier would step quickly into the confined space and drop their pebble in a basket. Fumio would oversee. He was the only one everyone could agree to trust. Everyone’s vote was otherwise private.
The process was simple enough. Before long, the men began lining up. Each vote only took a heartbeat or two, but it was still no small matter to get through thousands of votes.
Koji resisted the urge to use his sense to know what was happening inside the tent. For one, his duty was to protect Mari. His attention needed to be on her and the surroundings. Second, Mari had made the blades promise not to interfere in any way. He would uphold the promise.
Instead, Koji focused on the crowd, guessing their intentions from the way they held themselves. Mari stood proudly off to the side while people cast their votes. She gave a small bow of thanks to every soldier who walked through the voting tent, and after a while he wondered if it was starting to make her sore or dizzy.
The soldiers looked intrigued by the idea of voting. Most of them kept their faces neutral, but there was a spring in their step as they walked through the tent to make their voices heard.
Koji’s sense wandered over the hillside, but he couldn’t detect any threats. If someone did want to harm Mari, they weren’t here. That much was a relief. Anytime someone tried to bring change to the world there would be those who fought against it. If Mari won here today, her battles would just be beginning. She would be the target of assassinations, political manipulations, and more. He believed in her, but he didn’t envy her the responsibility she sought.
