Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince

by Noriko Ogiwara

  Oguna must remember too … At least, he should. But then why haven’t we had any news? Despondent, she gazed off into space.

  The sound of pounding hooves suddenly echoed through the air: a lone horse at full gallop heading for the hall. Even racing uphill, it did not slacken its pace. Toko leapt to her feet. Something must have happened.

  Flecked with foam, the horse shot through the open gate bearing a rider from the chief’s hall. The messenger scrambled off his mount and rushed inside, followed by a crowd of people. Toko watched them go and then hurried deeper into the building to a place where she knew she would have a better chance to hear. Gently, she eased open a partition that led into the large meeting room. Through the crack she could glimpse her father’s back. Her heart froze when she heard the words muttered by the crowd.

  “Treason? Did he say treason?”

  “So the prince has finally—”

  “The emperor’s men are after him—”

  “And Lady Akaru too!”

  Toko pressed her hand against her mouth. This was not some entertaining little episode to while away the boredom. It was a real crisis.

  “There’s still hope,” Toko’s father was saying. “The prince hasn’t been captured yet. We must gather our men and go to his aid.”

  The messenger nodded. “That’s why I’m here. The chief wants to know how many men and horses you can spare.”

  A seasoned leader, Toko’s father was unfazed by the shocking news and immediately began discussing details. Toko, on the other hand, felt dizzy, and the word treason tolled like a bell in her mind. She did not care who was right or wrong. As far as Toko was concerned, if it were a choice between the prince and the emperor, then the prince was right. The shock she felt was caused solely by the fact that people she loved were in danger. This should not, just could not be happening to them—because she loved them.

  She wanted to scream. What do they mean Lady Akaru is with them? What about Oguna? What will happen to him? Who can tell me? But the messenger did not mention Oguna even once. He only told them that the prince and his men were planning to escape through Suzuka Pass.

  Her father sent the messenger on his way with the words, “Tell the chief that we will do whatever we can.” The men dispersed hurriedly, and a sense of urgency gripped the hall.

  BY MIDNIGHT, Toko had made up her mind. She waited until she was absolutely determined before going to her mother’s room.

  “Mother,” she began. “I’ve decided to go with the men to Suzuka Pass. I’m going to help rescue the prince.”

  “What on earth are you talking about?” Matono said, but Toko pressed on. “I know you’re going to tell me that I can’t go,” she said, her voice growing stronger. “But even if you order me to stay and lock me in my room, I will find a way to go. That’s why I decided to ask you. I would rather go with your permission than disobey you.”

  Matono stared at her daughter in astonishment. Few ever got the better of her, but the look in Toko’s eyes made her pause. “But why?” she asked gently. “What makes you think that you have to go?”

  Toko’s expression relaxed slightly. “I have a good reason. Where the prince is, Oguna will be. Had you forgotten that? Maybe Oguna is fleeing the emperor’s soldiers right now, or maybe he has already been caught and killed. But I will never know if I stay here. I have to go and find out for myself.”

  Matono’s heart skipped a beat at Oguna’s name. She had not forgotten him either. “Toko. You’re right. Oguna will certainly be with the prince. He was chosen to be one of his closest aides.”

  “I’m going with the others so that I can help rescue him,” Toko said. “He promised me that he would come back to Mino, but he hasn’t returned once. I’m tired of sitting here waiting for him. And now that he’s in danger I just can’t stay here anymore. I’m going to go and meet him. I’ve been wanting to do that for so long.”

  Matono could not conceal her consternation. “You mean you’ve been waiting for him all this time?”

  “Yes.”

  “What did he promise?”

  “Just that he would come back. That he would come back when he was stronger.”

  “I see … I suppose if you were both twelve, that makes sense,” Matono said, with a silent sigh of relief. Now, at last, she understood why her daughter did not behave like a young lady. Tachibana women, herself included, tended to be headstrong. If Toko decided not to become a woman, she just might succeed. Suddenly Matono felt sorry for her. “And knowing you, I suppose that you promised you wouldn’t enter the shrine until he came back.”

  Toko’s eyes widened in surprise. “Mother, you’re amazing! How did you know?”

  Oh dear. I was right … Matono looked at Toko’s innocent face and slender body. The thought suddenly occurred to her that her daughter’s future might not lie in Mino. Perhaps she had been wrong to repress Toko’s unconventional behavior … It was only an intuition, but the clan accepted such epiphanies whether they were logical or not. This gave Tachibana women a reputation for being impulsive, and on impulse was exactly how Matono responded now. If Toko doesn’t outgrow this stubborn conviction, she thought, she’ll never become a woman. She felt that this risk far outweighed any danger Toko might meet if she set off to find Oguna. “All right,” she said decisively. “You’re old enough to know what you want and take responsibility for it. If you promise not to do anything reckless, I’ll give you permission. And I won’t mention it to your father. So off you go and find Oguna.”

  A smile spread across Toko’s face. “I love you, Mother! I knew you’d understand!”

  2

  “LADY MATONO insisted …” Kujihiko said ruefully. The chief had summoned him as the commander of his troops to explain why Toko was riding at the rear of the company, looking as though she thought this was perfectly normal. The chief had been unable to bring himself to ask Toko directly, and now the two men carried on a whispered conversation.

  “There are times when I just don’t understand what goes on in a woman’s mind,” he said. “What can Lady Matono be thinking to send Toko off to battle like this? But I’m not about to question anyone kin to the high priestess. I don’t even question my own wife about this kind of thing. Perhaps it’s best to just leave Toko alone.”

  “You’re probably right.”

  “Well then. Just make sure that she doesn’t get near any actual fighting. Once we’ve rescued Akaru, I suppose she might even be useful.”

  Unaware of this exchange, Toko triumphantly left Mino in the company of about a hundred and fifty, led by the chief. Tsunuga was among the men from Kamitsusato. He could not believe that Matono would really allow her daughter to join them and was sure that Toko would eventually let slip the truth. “No one can make you go back now that we’ve come this far,” he said, “so tell me how you managed to sneak out unnoticed.”

  Toko was looking about eagerly as she rode along, but she cast an annoyed glance in his direction. “You don’t believe me. Do you really think I’d be so disobedient as to leave without telling my mother?”

  “But your father didn’t seem to know.”

  “That’s because my mother said not to tell him.”

  “Lady … I know I’ve already said this, but there’s no way of knowing what will happen when we try to rescue the prince,” Tsunuga said. “We may have to fight for our lives. The future of Mino depends on whether or not we can save him. This is not some pleasure trip.”

  “Why do you assume that I’m here for pleasure? This is a life and death matter for me too.”

  “Really?”

  “Of course.”

  “You look pretty cheerful to me.”

  Toko wiped the smile off her face and sat up straight. “If we’re traveling so far, I should observe everything carefully for future reference, right?” Just crossing the border of Kamitsusato had filled her with excitement. Even the most ordinary trees and plants appeared rare and special. “Tsunuga, if we follow this route all the w
ay down to the river’s mouth, do you think we’ll see the ocean?”

  “That’s exactly what I meant by a pleasure trip,” he responded in disgust.

  THE COMPANY from Mino traveled south along the coast, keeping an eye out for enemy troops, but they met none. Turning west, they headed into the mountains. Suzuka Pass was near the top of the highest ridge that reared in front of them, and beyond that lay Mahoroba. Racing against time, they traveled all day and through the night, so that even Toko no longer had the energy to enjoy the scenery. The road was rugged, and they had to dismount and walk with increasing frequency.

  Occasionally, they came across a village nestled in a valley between the mountain slopes. Each time they did, the commander urged Toko to stay there and wait for them, and each time Toko obstinately refused. The road, however, grew rougher and people’s nerves tauter. When they reached Nobono, Kujihiko made it very clear that this time he would not take no for an answer. “I cannot take you any farther. Beyond this point, there are bound to be enemy soldiers. If we run into them, the arrows will fly. I’ll leave Tsunuga behind with you, but, my lady, you must not go any farther.”

  Toko did not protest. She could tell from the way his veins stood out on his forehead and from her own fatigue that she had reached the limit. “All right. I’ll wait. Where do you plan to go from here?”

  “We’ll avoid the main road and head for Suzuka Pass via the northern slope. Be careful. Don’t let your guard down just because we’ve left you behind. Tsunuga, I leave the lady in your charge. Guard her well.”

  When the men had gone, Toko slumped onto a tree stump, exhausted. “Ooh, ouch, my feet hurt.”

  Tsunuga glanced back at her and laughed. “You certainly are persistent, Lady Toko. I don’t think any of us believed you would make it this far.”

  “You’re making fun of me, aren’t you?”

  “No. I’m admiring your spirit.”

  Toko looked at him. He had been left to guard her merely because he had kept her company on the journey. For a hot-blooded young man, it must have been very disappointing to be left behind at the last moment. He continued to stare at the spot where Kujihiko and his men had disappeared into the woods. She felt sorry for what she had done to him, let alone to herself.

  After resting a while, she said, “Tsunuga. Why don’t we go on ourselves?” She sounded as if she were inviting him to join her on a quiet stroll.

  “What? Go where?”

  “To Suzuka. We’ll take the main road. It will be easier walking, and no soldiers are going to even notice one girl with an escort.”

  “You’ve got to be joking!” Tsunuga said. “How could you even suggest such a thing? You yourself told the commander that you’d wait here.”

  “You expect me to wait after coming all this way? I may as well have never left Mino. The main road will be much faster. Whoever saves the prince first wins. Aren’t you brave enough?”

  “But … what if we’re stopped and captured before we can succeed? What will happen to me when I was the one who was told to protect you?”

  “I’ve got an idea!” Toko said, clapping her hands, as if she hadn’t even heard him. “We’ll disguise ourselves. Let’s pretend that we’re local villagers gathering firewood. I’m good at disguises.”

  “Do you plan to carry firewood on your back after all that?”

  “No, you’ll carry the firewood. You can hide your weapons in the bundle. Don’t you think it’s a great idea?”

  In the end, Tsunuga gave in. Toko was adept at convincing others to join her in mischief, and he had met his match. Besides, once the idea was in her head, Tsunuga could not have stopped her if he had tried. She was so excited that she forgot all about her sore feet.

  They traded a few things at a house in the village and set off again, Tsunuga carrying what looked like a huge and unwieldy load of brushwood and Toko carrying a basket. Spirits renewed, they walked briskly, but Toko privately steeled herself to the fact that the sandals she now wore would rub her already blistered feet raw. Honestly! Who would do this for fun? I’m only doing it because I vowed I’d rescue Oguna. He’s going to get a piece of my mind if I do see him. I’ll let him know that it’s all his fault for not keeping his promise, she thought, adding this to an already long list of things she wanted to say to him.

  They walked on alone without seeing anyone else on the road, not even any enemy soldiers, although they had been sure they would. The mountains were quiet, clothed in autumn hues. Occasionally a single leaf fluttered down. At first, they welcomed the absence of people, but gradually the solitude began to make them nervous.

  “It’s strange,” Tsunuga said finally. “There should be more people on this road. The others went north because they were sure it would be full of soldiers. Something’s not right. I wonder if they’ve retreated.”

  “Maybe the emperor pardoned the prince and called his troops back.”

  “That’s very unlikely.”

  Feeling inexplicably anxious, they walked a little farther, when suddenly they heard the tramping of feet and the echo of voices coming down the mountain path ahead of them—a company of soldiers. “So the emperor’s troops are here after all,” Tsunuga said, oddly relieved. “Come, we must hide. Quickly.”

  “But we’re disguised.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous! Even ordinary people get out of the way of soldiers.”

  A group of men bearing pikes and swords and covered in sweat and grime marched two abreast past the place where Toko and Tsunuga hid in a thicket of bamboo grass. Toko shuddered at the heavy tread of their footsteps and the harsh grating of metal on metal. Yet they lacked the bloodlust of men heading for battle. Their pace was a little too leisurely and they were talking amongst themselves.

  “Will they be hunting down the others?” one of them asked.

  “Now that the prince is captured, only a ragtag mob remains. It wouldn’t be worth it,” his companion answered.

  “The ones who caught him alive must be pretty proud. We wasted our time thrashing around in the mountains.”

  “I wish we could have seen him at least.”

  “They said he’s being taken to the capital.”

  Speechless, Toko and Tsunuga looked at one another, and each trembled at the despair they saw reflected in the other’s face. They had not misheard. The prince had been captured. For some time after the soldiers had passed, they remained crouched in the bamboo grass. Finally Tsunuga said slowly, “We were almost there … How could this have happened?”

  “It can’t be true. It just can’t be. I won’t believe it.” Toko’s voice was unnaturally loud. She glared at Tsunuga. “Don’t believe what those stupid soldiers said. They’re the enemy! I for one refuse to, at least not until I’ve heard it from a source I can trust.”

  “You’re right, my lady, but still—”

  “Come on, let’s get going. We should be able to find someone who knows the truth, if we can just get to Suzuka. And no more talking about it until we do, all right?”

  Tsunuga looked at her in surprise and then nodded. “All right. Let’s go.”

  They forded a rushing stream and had traveled for some time when they saw two people walking toward them. Although the strangers were still small in the distance, Toko’s heart began to pound. They seemed like local villagers, and she was in agony wondering whether she should ask them what they had heard of the prince. Perhaps they knew what had happened, but what if they said the same thing as the soldiers? That would make it true. This was what she feared the most. Just the thought of it made her stomach feel like lead.

  As they drew nearer, Toko saw that one of them was an old man with a cane. The other, a young woman, walked slowly along beside him, lending him support. They kept their eyes on the road ahead and paid no attention to Toko and Tsunuga. It was their indifference that gave Toko the courage to speak. They looked like they knew nothing about the prince, and that at least would relieve her mind.

  “Good day,” she said
. “It’s very cool, isn’t it?”

  The woman looked at her suspiciously.

  “Have you heard anything about the prince?” Toko forged on. “Did you hear what happened?”

  The elderly man mumbled something into his beard, but she couldn’t catch it. The woman, however, answered clearly, “If you mean the prince who plotted treason, he was caught. Thank goodness. Now we can travel without fear.”

  Toko’s world went dark. Without realizing it, she staggered and then wondered indignantly why Tsunuga was gripping her arm so tightly. At that moment, the woman’s tone of voice changed.

  “Toko? Is that you? But it can’t be!”

  Startled, Toko and Tsunuga stared at the woman. “But how do you know?”

  “Can’t you tell? It’s me. Have I really changed that much?”

  “Lady Akaru!” Toko shouted, hopping up and down in astonishment. It was definitely Lady Akaru’s voice, but her face was so cleverly smeared with grime that she would never have guessed. “I’m so glad you’re safe!” she cried as she gave Lady Akaru a fierce hug. Lady Akaru smiled and hugged her back.

  “I’m the one who should be surprised, Toko. What are you doing here on your own away from Mino?”

  “I came to rescue you. Everyone else went north. But Tsunuga and I heard some soldiers saying that they had caught the prince.”

  Lady Akaru said quietly, “They were wrong. He’s quite safe. Look. He’s right here in front of you.”

  “What?” Toko stared at her. The old man coughed deliberately.

  “Actually I wouldn’t say that I was safe. I’ve been walking like this all day and am in danger of becoming permanently bent over.” Two mischievous eyes peered out at her from under a thatch of white hair. “It’s been a long time, Lady Toko. You don’t seem to have changed a bit.”

  Toko was speechless. Never again would she boast that she was good at disguises.