by Lance Wilson
“For the glory of the empire, Sire.” Nagamasa says a little confused now.
“Ah yes, ah yes. I remember. You see that map, Nagamasa? That is the world that I created. For 25 years, I have conquered, spilt blood, and expanded the empire. Since I became Lord I have known 4 years without war. 4 years of peace in 20, and for what? I brought the sword, nothing more.” Oda says shaking his head as he rises out of his seat.
“Lord, your life…” Nagamasa starts but is stopped as Oda releases his hand.
“Please, please don’t call me that. Come, please, come sit. Let us talk now, very simply, as men. Well, Nagamasa, talk.” Oda says and watches as Nagamasa’s eyes go from shock to anger.
“5,000 of my men are out there in the freezing mud. 3,000 of them are bloodied and cleaved. 2,000 will never leave this place. I will not believe they fought and died for nothing.” Nagamasa says growling now.
“And what would you believe?” Oda says sitting on his cot now looking up at Nagamasa
“They fought for YOU and for Highover.” Nagamasa snarls at him how dare he tell him his men’s lives were for nothing.
“And what is Highover, Nagamasa?” he asks hoping Nagamasa can stay with him long enough to help him make his point.
“I have seen much of the rest of the world. It is brutal and cruel and dark. Highover is the light.” Nagamasa says knowing the empire that Oda has created out of the northern clans.
“Yet you have never been there. You have not seen what it has become. I am dying, Nagamasa. When a man sees his end he wants to know that there has been some purpose to his life. How will the world speak my name in years to come? Will I be known as the philosopher, the warrior, the tyrant? Or will I be the Emperor who gave Highover back her true self? There was once a dream that was Highover, you could only whisper it. Anything more than a whisper and
It would vanish. It was so fragile and I fear that it will not survive the winter. Nagamasa let us whisper now. Together, you and I. You have a dream? Tell me about your home.” Oda says and smiles at him. He has always wanted to hear this tale of Nagamasa’s dream.
“My house is in the hills above Trujillo. Very simple place, pink stones that warm in the sun. Kitchen garden that smells of herbs in the day, jasmine in the evening. Through the gate is a giant poplar. Figs, apples, pears. The soil, Oda, black… black like my wife’s hair. Grapes on the south slopes, olives on the north. Wild ponies play near my house, they tease my son. He wants to be one of them.” Nagamasa says almost brining a tear to his own eyes.
“Nagamasa, when was the last time you were home?” Oda asks wondering how long he has been away from his family home.
“2 years, 264 days and this morning.” Nagamasa says with a smile, wondering how his brother Byrdi might be doing.
“I envy you, Nagamasa. It is a good home. Worth fighting for? There is one more duty that I ask of you before you go home.” Oda says and takes a deep breath; he knows Nagamasa will not enjoy it.
“What will you have me do, Lord?” Nagamasa asks ready to serve so that he may go home.
“I want you to become the protector of Highover after I die. I will empower you, to one end alone; to give power back to the people of Highover and end the corruption that has crippled it. Will you accept this great honor that I have offered?” Oda says knowing that he is asking a great deal of this general, of this man.
“With all my heart, no.” Nagamasa says his eyes wide in shock
“Nagamasa that is why it must be you.” Oda says with a smile laying his hand on Nagamasa’s shoulder.
“But surely a prefect, a senator, somebody who knows the city, who understands her politics… .” Nagamasa starts a million thoughts now running though his head.
“But you have not been corrupted by her politics.” Oda says sure for once in any decision he has made that this one is the right one.
“And Commodus?” Nagamasa asks wondering why he is not choosing his own son.
“Commodus is not a moral man, you have known that since you were young. Commodus cannot rule. He must not rule. You are the son that I should have had. Commodus will accept my decision. He knows that you command the loyalty of the army.” Oda says knowing that not even Commodus would do something as stupid as go against the army.
“I need some time, Sire.” Nagamasa says taking it all in.
“Yes. By sunset, tomorrow, I hope, you will have agreed. Now embrace me as my son and bring an old man another blanket.” Oda says and smiles at Nagamasa.
Nagamasa smiles back and grabs a wolf skin blanket for Oda embraces him long and hard and then makes his way out of the tent, there is so much to think about, so much to do
As Nagamasa leaves Oda’s tent he hesitates outside, with a troubled look upon his face. Maeraer steps out from the adjacent tent. She appears to have been waiting for him.
“My father favors you now.” She says a cold expressionless look on her face.
“Milady.” Nagamasa says with a polite smile
“Twas not always so.” She says now walking closer to him.
“Many things change.” Nagamasa says smiling but not giving in to her charms.
“Many things, not everything. Nagamasa, stop. Let me see your face. You seem upset.” She says and turns his face to him as he tries to turn away.
“I lost many men.” Nagamasa says and his face now stone cold.
“What did my father want with you?” Maeraer asks sure that the conversation had something to do with his mood.
“To wish me well before I leave for home.” Nagamasa says and turns to leave again.
“You are lying. I could always tell when you were lying because you were never any good at it.” Maeraer says again with a slight chuckle in her voice.
“I never acquired your comfort with it.” Nagamasa says growling at her a bit.
True. But then you never had to. Life is simpler for a soldier. Or do you think me heartless?” Maeraer says coldly making sure not to show the hurt that he has just inflicted.
“I think you have a talent for survival.” Nagamasa says and again tries to leave.
“Nagamasa, stop. Is it really so terrible seeing me again?” Maeraer says with a small laugh, she only wishes to prolong the encounter since it has been so long since the last time.
“No. I am tired from battle.” he lies again
“It hurts you to see my father so fragile.” She says knowing that this has to be one of the roots to it all.
Nagamasa cannot speak, but only nods at the comment. He remembers Oda as a hardened and strong warrior, now age and battle has caught up with him. “Commodus expects my father to announce succession within days. Will you serve my brother as you have served my father?” She asks wondering where he will lay in the coming chaos.
“I will always serve Highover.” Nagamasa says growling.
“You know, I still remember you in my prayers. Oh, yes I pray.” Maeraer says looking down taking a deep breath.
Nagamasa only stares at her a bit and then moves to his tent. He doesn’t care what she has to say or why. He has a great deal to think about.
“Ancestors, I ask you for your guidance. Blessed Mother, come to me with the Gods’ desire for my future. Blessed Father, watch over my family with a ready sword. Whisper to them that I live only to hold them again. Ancestors, I honor you and will try to live with the dignity you have taught me.” Nagamasa prays to himself and moves to sit on a chair as he calls to his friend and servant, Cicero.
Cicero walks in and smiles at his companion and master, but the smile doesn’t last long. He can see the worry on his master’s face and knows that today’s conversation shall be an interesting one.
“Cicero. Do you find it hard to do your duty?” Nagamasa says and looks hard at him.
“Sometimes I do what I want t
o do. The rest of the time I do what I have to.” Cicero says being honest to his lord.
“We may not be able to go home after all.” Nagamasa says knowing that he will more then likely take the offer to help Lord Oda.
Not too much after Nagamasa leaves Oda’s tent Commodus enters and stands staring at the statue of his father, he reaches up and touches its face as Oda enters from behind him.
“Are you ready to do your duty for Oda?” Lord Oda says taking a deep breath he knows the apprentice will not enjoy it.
“Yes, father.” Commodus says puffing up with pride.
“You will not be Emperor.” Oda says feeling bad about this, he has trained Commodus like a son, treated him like a son. And now to tell him it was all for nothing.
“Which wiser, older man is to take my place?” Commodus says taking a deep breath and trying to remain calm.
“My powers will pass to Nagamasa to hold in trust until the Senate is ready to rule once more. Oda is to be a Republic again.” Oda says taking looking calmly at Commodus
“Nagamasa?” Commodus says taken back now.
“My decision disappoints you?” Oda says knowing that he has struck a cord, but Commodus has no idea how much it pains him to say it.
“You wrote to me once, listing the four chief virtues—wisdom, justice, fortitude, and temperance. As I read the list I knew I had none of them. But I have other virtues, Father—ambition, that can be a virtue when it drives us to excel; resourcefulness; courage, perhaps not on the battle field but there are many forms
Of courage; devotion, to my family, to you. But none of my virtues were on your list. Even then it was as if you didn’t want me for your son.” Commodus says turning his back on his father.
“Oh, Commodus, you go too far.” Oda says his voice soft and compassionate.
“I searched the faces of the gods for ways to please you, to make you proud… . One kind word, one full hug while you pressed me to your chest and held me tight, would have been like the sun on my heart for a thousand years… . What is it in me you hate so much? All I ever wanted was to live up to you, my lord, Father.” He says once again turning so Oda can see the tears in his eyes.
“Commodus, your faults as an aprentice, is my failure as a master.” he says now kneeling in front of Commodus.
“Father, I would butcher the whole world if you would only loved me!!!” Commodus says looking lovingly at lord Oda, his father.
Oda is still kneeling, When Commodus presses his father tightly against his body, smothering him, as Oda struggles to be free, but fails, Commodus cries and moans in pain, as though a child.
It is almost dawn and Nagamasa is sleeping on his cot when Quintus quietly enters to wake him. Nagamasa quickly brandishes a knife, smiling with a hint of embarrassment when he sees it is Quintus.
“Nagamasa. The Emperor needs you. It is urgent.” Quintus says his face like stone.
Together they return to Oda’s tent. As Nagamasa reaches the tent, the tarp is pulled back and there stands Commodus.
“Lament with me, brother. Our great father is dead.” Commodus says a genuine tear in his eye.
Looking untrusting at Commodus he turns to the body of lord Oda, placing his hand to Oda’s forehead and then to the dead Lord’s throat as though to check for signs of life
“How did he die?” Nagamasa asks looking again at Commodus
“The surgeon said there was no pain. His breath gave out as he slept.”
Nagamasa slowly leans over the body of Lord Oda and kisses his forehead. He had been like a second father to him. Taught him more of war then his own father could have, not the battle of it, but the dark underbelly of war, the planning of others and the betrayal in your own ranks.
“Your Emperor asks for your loyalty, Nagamasa. Take my hand. I only offer it once.” Commodus says and holds out his hand now with the Oda clan ring on the finger.
Nagamasa turns away from Lord Oda, looks at Maeraer as she sits in the corner, eyes moist with grief. Nagamasa, in disbelief, ignores Commodus, walks past him and out of the tent, calling to Quintus. Commodus turns to Quintus who looks back with a pained acknowledgment of orders that have already been given. Maeraer steps out from the corner, turns to Commodus, looks into his eyes, and slaps him, then picks up his hand and kisses it.
“Hail Lord Oda” Maeraer says her eyes like poison to Commodus.
It doesn’t take long before Nagamasa is at his tent getting ready to leave. Gathering his armor and weapons. But he is stopped suddenly when Quintus walks into his tent.
“Nagamasa, please be careful, that was not prudent.” Quintus says looking at him cautiously
“Prudent! The Emperor has been slain.” Nagamasa says snarling at him
“The Emperor died of natural causes.” Quintus says taking a deep breath.
“Quintus, why are you armed?” Nagamasa asks taking a step back his hand reaching for his own blade.
“Guards! Nagamasa please do not fight. I am sorry, Lord Oda has spoken.” Quintus says and the guards quickly storm the tent and have him held in a matter of seconds.
Cicero looks at Nagamasa as if to hand him his sword but Nagamasa shakes his head, no. Quintus turns to the Oda guards.]
“Ride him until dawn and then execute him.” Quintus says lowering his head.
“Quintus, look at me. Look at me! Promise me that you will look after my family.” Nagamasa says sure that they will be taken care of.
“Your family will meet you in the after life.” Quintus says letting him know that Commodus will most likely kill them.
At these words Nagamasa looses his mind and struggles with all of his might to free himself of the guards but one of the guards quickly slams the pommel of his blade in the back of Nagamasa’s head knocking him unconscious.
It is miles away in the pale dawns light in the deep forest. Nagamasa is on his knees his head lowered and two guards are on either side of him preparing the execution.
“Blessed Father watch over my brother and father. Whisper to them that I live only to hold them again. At least give me a clean
Death—a soldier’s death.” Nagamasa says looking at the chief guard.
The chief guard nods yes and the assassin changes position behind. As the assassin raises his sword, with speed of a wild beast Nagamasa successfully disarms the guard about to kill him, grabbing the sword with his hands, he fatally stabs him and then turns to the chief guard who can’t remove his sword from his sheath.
“The frost. Sometimes it makes the blade stick,” says and with a roar Nagamasa slices through the guards face killing him.
Another guard, on horse, moves forward and the swishing sound of the sword can be heard as it comes spinning through the air, striking the guard dead. Nagamasa turns to the remaining guard who is on horse, drinking from a bottle of whiskey to warm himself from the cold. Nagamasa cries
Out like a feral animal. The Soldier turns to see Nagamasa standing with a sword tosses down the bottle and rides at him but Nagamasa
Swings his sword as he passes. Nagamasa stands ready to fight again, but the Soldier falls from his horse, having been fatally wounded. Nagamasa stagers and sways a bit been severely wounded to the arm. Having killed each of the soldiers, Nagamasa takes two horses for his long journey home.
It is hard to say how far he got on the horse with his wound but as he regains consciousness Nagamasa finds himself on a wagon. He
Is slipping in and out of consciousness and into the after life. A sound startles him and he comes back to this life. He is dazed and hallucinating. Scenes of him chained and scenes of the figurines of his wife and son, the one’s he always imagined having, quickly flash across his mind. The soft voice of a half-orc slave is heard
“You will meet them again, but not yet.” The half-orc slave says and wipes a cl
oth over his head
Nagamasa looks at his wound, which is infested now with maggots. He begins to remove them but the orc slave pushes his hand away.
“No, they will clean it. Wait and see.” He says and smiles at Nagamasa
Nagamasa lays his head back down and blacks out once again. The caravan carrying the slaves winds it way through the vast desert. Nagamasa wakes periodically though the travels once he remembers watching the orc slave telling him not to die or they will feed him to the lions, cause the animals are worth more then the men. He also has vague memories of the same slave putting a kind of salve on the wound. He does not know how long he has traveled when the caravan arrives in a tiny province known as Zucchabar. They ride up to the market place and the leader of the caravan; a fat dark skinned man walks out and shouts some orders to one of his men. Another slave, a larger man walks out and has the slaves line up in front of the caravan. They are almost naked he then has the animals lined up in their cages as well. It is not long in the scorching heat when the fat slaver comes back with an older man with only one good eye. His other eye is a milky white and stares at nothingness giving him an eerie look. He is s thinner man with gray hair and a gray beard. The older man walks up and down the line looking at the slaves
“Do any of them fight? I have a match coming up.” The older man asks stopping on front of Nagamasa
“Some are good for fighting, others for dying. You need both, I think.” the slaver says smiling at his old friend
“Get up! What was your trade?” The older man asks now looking at the half orc
“I was a hunter.” The orc says with pride
“No, no, I bought him from a salt mine in Carthage.” the slaver says and with a glare he quietly tells the orc to sit down.
The older man walks up and down the line again and stops once more in front of Nagamasa; he slowly examines the wound on the arm then looks deep into Nagamasa’s eyes. Something in those eyes, some kind of fire he can still see.
“I will take 6 for 1,000.” the older man says now turning to the slave traders.
“1,000! The half orc alone is worth 2,000!” The slaver says with a growl.
