A cunning thought grew in the young emperor's mind. "I should not disband the Scorpions," he said. "I should make their strength my own. I should fold their house into mine, as my ancestors did to their enemies."
"Majesty, no," Ishikawa said. He had listened carefully and watched Kachiko as she moved. For long moments, she had held him spellbound as well. Now, though, the spell broke, and he could restrain himself no longer.
The boy emperor focused his blazing eyes on the captain of the guard and said, "Silence!"
Ishikawa retreated to his spot and stood silently, hand clutched tighdy around his spear.
The emperor turned back to Kachiko and said, "I shall take this woman, her lands, and her people. My house will grow stronger from the Scorpions' disbanding."
Kachiko looked up, tears running down her face, washing away the grime. "I beg you, do not," she said. "Judge us, exile us, even execute us. Do not destroy us utterly!"
"Silence, woman!" the boy snapped. Kachiko looked so pitiful and helpless before him; he knew he had won. He turned to Ishikawa as if for advice. "Can I do this?" the boy asked.
Before the captain could answer, Kachiko said, sobbing, "How can you not? He cannot stop you. The great lords cannot stop you. I cannot stop you. You are Emperor Hantei the 39th. There is precedent in our ancient laws. Our lines shall become one. I am powerless before you. I am but a leaf before the typhoon of your will."
Ishikawa started to open his mouth, and then closed it.
The boy looked at her, feeling the fire in his body grow. He wiped the sweat from his brow. Kachiko dried her eyes on her kimono and licked her parched lips.
"Yes," the emperor said. "Yes, I will do it." He turned to his yojimbo. "Ishikawa, tell the others to return. We shall render our judgment of this woman."
Ishikawa rose, walked to the great iron doors, and opened them, calling to those outside to return. Then he strode back into the room and took his place on the boy emperor's right.
When the others had come in and seated themselves on the floor, Hantei the 39th stood.
"The Scorpions shall be destroyed, utterly and forever," Emperor Hantei said. "But we shall do it in such a way that incorporates their strengths into our own." He turned to Ishikawa. "Cut her bonds," the boy emperor said, glancing at Kachiko.
The crowd gasped as Kachiko stood, holding her tied hands out before her. Ishikawa stood. He raised his spear and looked into her eyes. For a moment, he thought about running her through—but his will failed him.
He brought the spear down, cutting first the ropes at Kachiko's wrists and then those at her ankles. The Scorpion lady stepped free of her bonds.
"In accordance with ancient tradition," Hantei said, "I take this woman to be my bride." Another gasp rose from the crowd. In the back of the hall, Seppun Bake fell off his stool.
The boy gave no notice of the display. "Her people shall be absorbed into my own. Their loyalty will therefore be assured. The line of the Scorpion is ended; the House of Hantei grows stronger."
Recovering his wits and his seat, Bake raised his fist in the air and shouted, "Long live the house of Hantei!" The others in the room echoed the sentiment.
As the last of the echoes died away, Kachiko mounted the dais and seated herself beside the throne, on the emperor's left. Ishikawa watched her like a hawk.
Kachiko's eyes swept the room once, lingering only a moment on Doji Hoturi. In a brief flash, she saw her son Dairu's face interposed on the countenance of the man who both conceived and killed him. She blinked, and the image vanished. Deep within her mind, the Mother of Scorpions began to plot her revenge against the man who had murdered her son.
The boy emperor smiled, looking from his new fiancee to the cheering crowd, and then back again. Though some of those present looked nervous, the emperor didn't notice it.
Then his gaze fell on Akodo Toturi, seated near the throne room doors. The Lion didn't applaud. He didn't smile. Hantei felt his anger rise.
He fixed his dark eyes on the Lion daimyo. His heart grew cold, and he said, "As for you, Lion ..."
THE LION'S FALL
The boy sat down in the sundered throne and leaned back before continuing. Kachiko reached up from where she sat and placed her hand in his. Fire stirred within the young Hantei once more. He fixed Toturi with a cold gaze.
"We have considered your case and have come to the truth," Hantei said. "Though none dare speak against you, your own words have betrayed you, Lion. You alone among all our advisors spoke against the destruction of the Scorpion house. By that action you prove yourself their ally—as we suspected."
Toturi stood. "Your Majesty," he said, his voice almost pleading, "I would never betray you!" He took a step forward.
"You already have, by betraying our father," the boy snapped. "You are judged; prepare to receive our sentence."
Toturi knelt and bowed his head.
"Akodo Toturi, we strip you of all rank and title," Hantei said. "No longer are you Lion Champion, or even daimyo. We dissolve your betrothal to Isawa Kaede, who has proved herself a worthy servant—unlike you. We cast you out, Toturi, you and all those who follow you. You are now ronin."
The assembled crowd gasped, but Hantei the 39th continued. "In your place, we appoint Matsu Tsuko head of the Lion Clan. We pray that she will serve us better than you served our father."
Tsuko rose and stepped forward. Toturi glanced at her. Though the two had never liked each other, he found himself surprised by the look on her face. Though proud, she was clearly not happy with the turn of events.
"As head of the Lion Clan," she said, "I most humbly request that our brother Toturi and his people be allowed to commit seppuku to restore their honor."
Toturi felt the dagger in his gut vanish, and the Lion's pride return. Perhaps he had judged this woman too harshly. Here, at last, was an honorable way out.
The Lion pressed his head to the tatami mat covering the floor. "Your Majesty," he said. "I beg you to let me redeem myself. Let my death restore my people in your sight. Allow me this final honor."
What the boy emperor said next froze Toturi's soul.
Hantei leaned back in the remains of the Emerald Throne and said simply, "No." A murmur rose from the crowd; the boy seemed not to notice. "Out of gratitude to your former fiancee," he said, "we allow you to live."
Toturi looked at Kaede and saw the tears welling up in her eyes. She would not have wished it this way. The emperor's punishment was far worse than death. Kaede hung her head.
Toturi turned, taking in the entire room, seeing the shame on the faces of all those present. Finally, his gaze returned to the boy emperor. He looked into Hantei's eyes.
Suddenly, the room grew dark. The floor shook and buckled as if with the power of an earthquake. The boards bulged, and beneath them, Toturi saw fire.
Everyone in the room stood still as the floorboards erupted, sending splintered fragments to the vaulted ceiling. A huge, fiery shape loomed up behind the throne.
The dragon that appeared was the most terrible Toturi had ever seen. Its eyes were blazing coals, its fangs white-hot daggers. Tongues of flame flickered down its back, threatening to singe the great timbers of the throne room. It roared, and the castle's very foundations shook.
Then, before his eyes, the creature of light transformed into one of darkness. Quickly the shape of the dragon melted, like steel in an overheated forge. It grew smaller, but no less powerful; its wise face metamorphosed into a hideous mockery. In moments, the dragon became one of Fu Leng's thrice-damned minions.
The demon belched fire and laughed loud enough to shake Rokugan to the core. The creature reached beneath the throne and brought forth two captives, clutching a man in each burning hand. One victim the Lion recognized as Bayushi Shoju; the other, Toturi knew, was himself.
While Toturi watched in mute horror, the demon seated itself upon the Emerald Throne. As it did so, the creature assumed a more familiar shape—that of the boy emperor. The monster gazed i
nto Toturi's eyes; within the orbs, the Lion saw only death and darkness.
With a start, Toturi realized his vision had ended. He found himself gazing into the eyes of Emperor Hantei the 39th once more. The blackness behind those eyes frightened him.
The nightmare had just begun. Bayushi Shoju had killed the wrong Hantei.
Toturi's own actions—and inactions—had brought the empire to this terrible point. Had he done his duty, had he been by the true emperor's side, all this might never have come to pass. He fell on his hands and knees and wept. No one in the throne room could have guessed the true reason.
The boy turned away from him. "Now," he said with thinly disguised contempt, "what of his geisha? We can't punish the whore master without punishing his trollop."
"Dead, Majesty," Kachiko said from near the boy's left ear. "Our spies discovered her fate while searching for the Lion Champion. She had been thrown off a waterfall near her geisha house—though whether by Toturi's hand or her own, we do not know."
Toturi heard the words, but they did not take hold in his mind. Instead, they echoed inside his skull until Hatsuko's beautiful face appeared before him. He wept to see it.
"Well?" the emperor asked Toturi. "Did you kill her?"
Toturi shook his head. "Not I," he said quietly.
"Oh, well," the boy said, flinging up his hands. "At least she's saved us the trouble of an execution." He gestured to his guards and then to Toturi.
"Strip him," the emperor commanded. "Remove all signs of his former life."
Toturi stood, and two men stepped forward to do as they were told. First, they removed his swords, casting them at the feet of Matsu Tsuko. Then they ripped Toturi's fine robes from his body, making a great show of their actions. Had Toturi paid attention, he would have noticed that most of the court looked away as the guards stripped him.
Not the emperor or his fiancee, though. The Hantei lord and his new lady seemed to enjoy every minute of Toturi's humiliation. Soon the former Lion Champion stood before the Emerald Throne wearing nothing but sandals and a loincloth.
The boy emperor stood and pointed to the door. "Go!" he commanded. "Let no one speak to him. Let no one give him comfort. Let no one bar his way."
Toturi turned and looked around, but no one met his glance. Even Ikoma Bentai had turned away.
Solemnly, the formerly proud Lion walked out of the throne room and left the Castle of the Shining Prince forever. Not once did he look back.
Epilogue: MEETINGS ON THE ROAD OF LIFE
The beggar strode down the forested road on his way to the Spine of the World Mountains. He was not looking for anything in particular except peace of mind. So far, it had eluded him.
People who encountered the beggar got out of his way. It seemed clear he was mad, both from the frantic way he moved and the strange things he muttered to himself as he went.
Two Crane guards met him on the road but left him alone when they realized who he was. Other people knew as well—though few dared linger in the beggar's presence.
One of those who did linger was Bayushi Tetsuo. He had followed the man through the forest for two days, trying to decide what course of action to take.
Had he been Bayushi Aramoro, or Yogo Junzo, he probably would have killed the man immediately. But Tetsuo had grown weary of
war and death. And so, he followed the beggar at a discreet distance, trying to decide what the honor of his clan demanded, and trying to reconcile those demands with his own soul.
As he watched, a furtive movement in the brush close by caught his eye. He recognized a swift form that few others would even have seen. Picking up a stone, he tossed it in the figure's direction and quietly called, "Aramoro!"
The Master of Assassins turned, a deadly shuriken in his hand. Immediately, he recognized his cousin and stole through the woods to Tetsuo's side. Aramoro made no more sound than a bird as he came.
"Tetsuo!" he said. "I'm glad to see you alive."
"As I am glad to see you," Tetsuo replied. "I thought you dead in the final assault on the palace."
"No," Aramoro said, shaking his head. "I was trapped outside the casde walls, like you. That's the only reason I escaped."
"Dairu?" Tetsuo asked.
"Gone," the older man said, hanging his head. "As are many others. If I could save but one, though ..."
"I know," Tetsuo said. "I would have given up my life for the boy as well."
"I should have been at his side, rather than facing the Crab."
Tetsuo nodded. "We both should have been there. What of the others? Do you know what's happening back home?"
"Many of our shugenja escaped, I believe," Aramoro said, "including Junzo and Bantaro. They'll be safe in our own lands, Bayushi Yojiro will see to that."
"Not for long, I fear. I've heard that the Crab, the Lion, and the Crane are sending armies to destroy the Scorpion homelands."
Aramoro shook his head. "There are always more rocks for Scorpions to hide under. I've heard that Taberu and a number of others escaped as well."
"And the Lady Kachiko?"
Aramoro laughed. "They've made her empress! The fools!"
Tetsuo nodded, and a sly smile broke across his face. "Yosh. So long as the Mother of Scorpions lives, our clan may yet be reborn."
"We're not destroyed, lad," Aramoro said. "We're merely laying low for a while."
"Laying low. Is that why you're following this beggar? Tetsuo asked.
"I'm just making myself useful until it's safe to refjoin Kachiko," Aramoro replied. He nodded toward the beggar. "Do you know who he is?"
"Of course," said Tetsuo. "A lion can't hide beneath sheep's clothing."
"Then you'll help me kill him?"
Tetsuo leaned back and let out a long breath. "Our lord once told me I had another part to play in this drama before I died. I sense that the same is true for Akodo Toturi. Why else would Shoju have let the Lion live? Toturi could never have beaten our lord, unless Shoju let him."
"But honor demands ..."
"Shoju sacrificed his honor and his life for the good of the empire. Neither one of us is as wise as he. 'Even the Fortunes cannot see all ends.' "
"Quoting Shinsei won't get you anywhere with me," Aramoro said. "What I believe in is revenge."
Tetsuo leaned close to his cousin. "Then take comfort in this: What Toturi is going through is the best revenge a Scorpion could wish for. He is ronin, a samurai without a master. All those who followed him have been cast out. The Akodo are destroyed. He has no army, no status, no castle, no home.
"All he has are dreams of what once was, and what might have been. Even an honorable death is denied him. That is a fate far worse than you or I could imagine for him."
Aramoro folded his arms across his chest and nodded. "For a youngster, you're pretty wise," he said.
"That wisdom has come at a terrible price," Tetsuo replied.
"I guess Shoju was right about you. Shall we travel together?"
"I'm going west, to help Yojiro protect our homeland," Tetsuo said.
"East for me," Aramoro countered. "I'll hide near the capital and await orders from our mistress. She needs me now more than ever."
They clasped hands. "Our separate ways, then," Tetsuo said.
"Until we meet again."
They nodded to each other. Then each man vanished into the woods.
Unmolested, the beggar continued down the road of life.
L5r - scroll 01 - The Scorpion Page 27
