The Emperor in Shadow

by Richard Parks

  “Your dedication is an inspiration to us all,” I said.

  “Lord Yamada, you are in a strange mood, even for you.”

  “These are strange times. Speaking of which, your shikigami. How is that going?”

  “It is not ‘going’ at all. I told you I was uncomfortable with this technique. Spirit wards I understand. Exorcism, yes, but the desire to bind elements of the physical plane to do your bidding? My path is to disconnect from this world, not control it. This seems wrong to me, and I let my curiosity get the better of my judgment. Still, it was a magnificent bird, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes, and for the sake of Princess Tagako I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to allow your curiosity to get the better of your judgment one more time.”

  Once we were announced, the governor himself came out of his mansion to greet us. I’m not sure if I have ever seen a man more surprised and utterly delighted than Minamoto no Yorinobu as we filed through the gate of his compound with our small escort, bearing the palanquin of Princess Tagako.

  “Lord Yamada! Highness! To what do we owe this honor?”

  “There is a plot to assassinate the princess,” I said, “and we no longer felt secure in Prince Kanemore’s estate. What better place to ensure her safety than behind the walls of the provincial governor?”

  “What better place, indeed?” At a signal from Yorinobu, thirty Minamoto archers raced from behind his mansion and took up their positions on either side of the courtyard, arrows nocked. “You will fire on my command,” he said, and then turned back to me. “I assume you will fight, but it is useless.”

  “Lord Yorinobu, what is the meaning of this?” I asked.

  “And you were reputed to be clever,” he said. “Frankly, I thought you’d never leave Kanemore’s compound. It was impregnable. I was thinking of some excuse to get the princess to an audience, but now you just walk in of your own accord with only a handful of bushi. Thank you.”

  “Yes, that was rather convenient of us, wasn’t it?”

  I saw a shadow cross Yorinobu’s face. “Don’t imply what you can’t enforce, Lord Yamada. You are in my power now, and I will fulfill my mission.”

  “That was why you had Harutada executed, wasn’t it? His orders were to wipe out our escort and kill the princess, even though I’ll wager none of his men knew ahead of time. The size of our escort surprised him, plus it was clear we didn’t trust him from the start. He knew he could not succeed under those circumstances, so he chose discretion. Sensible.”

  “He was a coward,” Yorinobu said.

  “You really thought the nature of our deaths could be concealed?” I asked.

  He laughed. “Just as they will be, though in Harutada’s case it would have been easy enough to claim he acted on his own in a misguided attempt to curry favor with the Fujiwara, and so I would have executed him anyway. When you were announced, I had the servants all confined, Lord Yamada. My bushi are loyal, and there will be no gossip. What happens here today is what I say happened. And there will be none to dispute me.”

  “That remains to be seen, but there are a few subjects on which I’d appreciate your comments. It was the Montoku Genji who secured the temple when Her Highness stayed at Heijo-kyo, which is how you arranged the inugami waiting for her after Harutada had failed. Also the shikigami at Osaka Bay. Was that you yourself, or do you employ an onmyōji?”

  Yorinobu smiled. “You’re stalling. It is pointless what you know or do not know now, too late as it is.”

  “Oh, but it isn’t. I know we took a huge risk coming here, because every sign, not all of which I have related here, pointed straight at you. Yet I had no proof . . . until now.”

  “All very interesting, I’m sure, but meaningless.” His expression turned as cold as a stone. “Kill them.”

  As one, the archers drew their bows—and aimed their arrows at the governor.

  “Do not kill him,” I said. “Yet.” I kneeled before the palanquin. “Have you heard enough, Highness?”

  “I will hear more in time, but for now, yes, more than enough. In the name of the emperor, Lord Yamada, I assign his fate to you. Do what you think is proper.”

  I bowed. “Remove the princess from the courtyard,” I said to the palanquin bearers. “And rejoin her guard outside while we finish our business.”

  Yorinobu scowled at the guards. “What are you doing? I gave you a command!”

  “So did I,” I said. “You can see which of us is being heeded. Now then, you heard the princess. Until her return to the Capital, Princess Tagako remains high priestess of Ise. So you have just confessed to the attempted murder of a member of the royal family and the emperor’s official representative in this region. Does the word ‘treason’ mean anything to you?”

  Clearly it did, as the governor turned a little pale. To his credit, he recovered quickly.

  “I don’t know how you managed to coerce my guards, but it won’t save you. My men guard all border crossings in force. Kill me, don’t kill me, it is unimportant. None of you will leave Kawachi alive.”

  “Do you honestly think Kyoto will stand for troops massing on their borders? The assumption would be that you are in rebellion, and your relationship with the Fujiwara will not save you. I would be surprised if you were not already declared outlaw. Lord Yoshiie hasn’t taken any heads in almost three years, so I imagine he’s getting somewhat impatient. Or do you really think the Montoku Genji can stand alone against Lord Yoriyoshi and his son and allies?”

  Yorinobu laughed again, but it was a weak laugh. “That misguided fool? He’ll never even hear of this. My bushi—those at the borders—will remain discreet in their actions and keep some distance from the actual crossing, and you’ll be dead, remember? If I will too, well, it is regrettable, but perhaps necessary.”

  I had hoped for a better opening, but I knew the time to learn what I wanted to learn was running low.

  “Necessary for what? What could possibly justify the murder of an imperial princess?”

  “I do pity your misfortune, Lord Yamada, dying as you will without ever knowing the reason,” Yorinobu said. “May your ghost howl in ignorance for the rest of eternity, and as for myself, if you’ve decided, kill me now and go meet your fate.”

  It was a flicker of one eyelid that told me the story. I looked into the man’s face and I understood—Yorinobu was lying, but lying by what he was not saying.

  He’s not taunting me simply for the sake of gloating. He cannot tell me because he does not know!

  This understanding made me even less inclined to go gently on the man. I smiled. “A friend of mine once said ‘fate’ was the word we use for the way things happen. I disagreed, but I’m starting to understand her point. My ‘fate,’ as you call it, has yet to be written. I think yours has. My intention is to take you back to Kyoto and turn you over to the emperor’s justice.”

  He sighed. “Lord Yamada, have you been listening to a word I’ve said? I wasn’t going to repeat my mistake with Harutada. My forces are overwhelming, and my shōshō all have their orders, and have profited by Harutada’s poor example, believe me. My men will never let you or the princess live.”

  “Speaking of which, it was considerate of you to send most of your guards off on a fool’s errand. It made it so much easier to overpower the ones left. As for your ‘overwhelming’ bushi, they are standing down even as we speak. Anyone resisting or attempting to carry out your order will be summarily executed as an outlaw. I rather think this fact has been emphasized to them by now.”

  Yorinobu scowled. “You must be insane. No one is coming to save you! None of your couriers got through! I made sure of that.”

  “Even the ones in the air? You’re not the only person with access to shikigami, you know. They make speedy messengers.”

  I think I finally got the governor’s attention. “You’re lying,” he said.

  “Possible, I suppose. Shall we go see your men and find out?”

  “Not necessary, I assu
re you. Moritomo!”

  In an instant we heard the cry of a great bird. Yorinobu’s final throw of the dice. I could only hope we were as ready as I believed.

  “Yoshitsune! Find him!” I shouted.

  Morofusa’s selected scout dashed in the direction we’d heard the scream, like that of a great eagle. In a moment we saw the giant bird lift over the west wing of Yorinobu’s mansion and fly over the wall in the direction Tagako had been taken. I turned to Kenji, but he already had several slips of paper in his hand, chanting to each as he let it go. Then there were seven of the great fishing owls flying in a silent, deadly flock after the giant bird. In another moment we heard the first shriek as they made contact. Kenji slumped to a kneeling position. I knew it was only because Kenji’s shikigami were given the same simple impetus—attack and destroy the great bird—that he was able to create so many at once, but even so it created a great strain on him and he would not be able to endure for long. I only hoped we wouldn’t need them for long.

  “It won’t be enough,” Yorinobu said. “Even if they can destroy my shikigami, it won’t be before it has ripped the princess to shreds!”

  “It had best move quickly, then. How long, do you think, before our owls destroy it? One is no match for your creature, or even two, but seven? I don’t think the outcome is in doubt.”

  “Not long,” Yorinobu said. “Yet plenty of time to accomplish our mission.”

  “It would be,” I said, “if it could find her.”

  “She is . . . ” His voice trailed off as the full reality of the situation finally began to sink in.

  “Just outside the walls? I know what you heard me say, Lord Yorinobu. I really was lying, that one time. She is safe, I assure you.”

  At that moment Yoshitsune returned, pushing a squirming little man whose hands were tied behind his back. Yoshitsune kicked the back of the man’s knee and he fell into a kneeling position at my feet.

  “Moritomo-san, I presume?”

  “I took these from him, my lord,” Yoshitsune said.

  Kenji stepped forward to examine the large sheet of washi Moritomo had apparently been writing on. After a moment the priest nodded. “This would have been another giant bird, if Yoshitsune-san hadn’t interrupted him.”

  I looked down at the cowering Moritomo. Oddly enough, he seemed familiar. “Look at me,” I said. Very slowly and reluctantly the man raised his head, and I nodded. “I know you. I spared your life back when the Abe clan’s northern castle fell. Apparently, I was in error. The chance to correct a mistake is a rare gift.”

  “Moritomo—”

  Lord Yorinobu didn’t get the chance to finish his threat, as Moritomo had already placed his head on the ground again. “Mercy, Lord Yamada. I can help you! There are things . . . things I know.”

  “Che.” Yorinobu looked disgusted. “Little weasel of a yin-yang magician! I should have killed you after your first failure.”

  I ignored him and tapped Moritomo’s head with the toe of my sandal. “Then we shall have a chat together, you and I, about old times and new, and you will have the chance to convince me your head is best attached to your neck. But I warn you—I am not going to change my mind easily. Yoshitsune?”

  Yoshitsune grabbed the man’s shoulder, hauled him not very gently to his feet, and led him out of the courtyard.

  Kenji glanced at the sky. “I’m surprised it’s taken as long as it has.”

  So many things could have gone wrong up until then. It still could go very wrong. I breathed a hearty sigh of relief when four of the great owls returned to perch on the wall near us, scraps of white paper fluttering in their talons. “That’s done then. Tomorrow, Lord Yorinobu, we will travel to the barrier at Settsu, and you can judge for yourself whether I lied about anything else.”

  Yorinobu’s glare would have spoiled a sunny day. “Think what you want, Lord Yamada, but this is not done.”

  Considering I still didn’t know what ‘this’ was, Yorinobu’s statement wasn’t one I cared to argue.

  “Only a fool would believe otherwise,” I said. “Just as you did.”

  Kenji sighed. “Can I discharge these things now? They’re giving me a headache.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Back in the safety of Kanemore’s estate, our next meeting with Princess Tagako was more like a council of war than an audience. Aside from Kenji and myself, Akimasa and Morofusa were also summoned. After commending them both for their actions during the confrontation with the governor, Tagako addressed me directly.

  “Thanks to you, Lord Yamada, for revealing my enemy. You were right. Though I think we all understand he was likely serving as proxy for another.”

  “I could very easily have been wrong,” I said.

  “Certainly—and the consequences of being wrong would have been . . . embarrassing, in the extreme,” Tagako said. “Yet the reward of being right is the governor’s plotting has been put to an end.”

  “I weighed the risks against the possible gain and took the chance. One of those risks is you were outside of Kanemore’s compound, and I knowingly put your person in danger. The situation could have gone much worse.”

  “Speaking of which,” Kenji said, “are you going to explain exactly how you knew the governor was trying to assassinate Her Highness?”

  “I did not know for certain. Yet the indications were ones we had all been privy to, at one time or another. First, the initial attack took place in Kawachi province. Logistically, such attempts would be more easily accomplished in one’s home territory.”

  “There was the attack before we crossed the river into Ise,” Morofusa pointed out. “And the shikigami attack was at Osaka Bay in Izumi.”

  “True, but as the shikigami was a winged creature, it could have been sent from anywhere. As for the previous attack, they were common bandits. If they had been Yorinobu’s men, trained bushi, things might have gone very differently. Nor was Her Highness with us at the time, and I think by now we have clearly established she was the target. Then there was the inugami incident itself. We knew neither Master Kenji nor I were the intended victims—the creature ignored us. The governor? No, he had already departed, and he would have done so in sight of the creature, since it had been placed with a view of the audience hall. The governor’s leaving when he did could be considered mere coincidence, but in hindsight it was clearly planned. It was Governor Yorinobu’s bushi who were tasked with securing the west wing of the temple grounds, and it was there we found evidence of the inugami’s creation. I was forced to the conclusion either they did a very substandard job, or they were working with whoever created the creature. I strongly suspected the latter.”

  “Yet it was only suspicion,” Kenji said.

  I grunted. “Very true. I had no proof of anything. I only hoped the joyful prospect of us willfully delivering the princess into his hands would prompt him to reveal his intentions. Fortunately, he did so.”

  “You haven’t mentioned the unfortunate Harutada,” Morofusa said.

  “Yes, Morofusa-shōshō. His fate was probably the one raindrop which made the bucket overflow. Such a severe penalty implied a severe affront, and as his execution followed so closely upon his association with us, it was more than reasonable to believe his crime had something to do with us. ‘Disobedience’ implies an order not carried out. Yet, so far as his obligation to us, he had done nothing wrong. I suspected this was precisely the problem.”

  Morofusa looked grim. “Aside from what Lord Yorinobu revealed to us, Moritomo has confirmed much of what you suspected,” he said. “He was not called upon to attempt assas-

  sination by magic until it was plain Harutada had failed. The governor himself has refused to tell us who took him off his leash or what they hoped to gain. With your permission, I would like to try to persuade him.”

  I sighed. “As much as the prospect delights me, I cannot sanction it.”

  “I certainly could,” Princess Tagako said. “I will defer to Lord Yamada’s judgment,
though I would like to hear the reason behind it.”

  Apparently Akimasa felt the same. “Your pardon, my lord, but why not?” he asked. “He deserves worse.”

  “We already know the answer to the first question. He talked about his ‘mission,’ so it is clear he was acting for others. The Montoku Genji are known for their association with the Fujiwara.”

  “Just as the Seiwa Genji, of which I am a part, were once known as ‘The Teeth and Claws of the Fujiwara,’ ” Morofusa said. “That is no longer true, as Lord Yoriyoshi has chosen to serve the Chrysanthemum Throne first of all. Loyalties may be long-lived, but they are not fixed in stone.”

  I bowed slightly. “Morofusa-shōshō makes an excellent point, but you’ll pardon me if I think we can make a reasonable assumption. Whatever the shortcomings of his judgment, Yorinobu knew the potential consequences. Only someone who commanded either his loyalty or gratitude could compel him to undertake this. Since he owed his position to his association with Chancellor Michinaga, the Fujiwara have both.” What I didn’t mention was an overt admission from Lord Yorinobu would implicate the Fujiwara in a plot against the royal family. I thought the emperor and his advisors were in the best position to judge if this was a course they wished to pursue.

  “Conceding that, there is still the question of ‘why,’ ” Kenji said.

  “Also true, but I have reluctantly come to the conclusion Lord Yorinobu does not know.”

  “It is difficult enough to understand how I could be a threat to anyone,” Princess Tagako said. “Yet to see for myself how fervently that man wanted my life . . . I have no words. One could do this without even knowing why?”

  Morofusa bowed low. “Highness, I too must reluctantly concede to Lord Yamada’s position. As a bushi himself, and the scion of a buke family, Lord Yorinobu would understand an obligation to a superior, whoever he accepted in that role. If Lords Yoriyoshi or Yoshiie ordered me to attack an enemy, I would do it with all means at my disposal. I would not ask why.”