Valley of Shields

by Duncan Lay

  ‘Another man? But they are gaijin?’ Mai asked.

  Sendatsu smiled wanly. ‘They may not look exactly as we do but they are just the same as you or me on the inside.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  Sendatsu scraped away more dried blood and flicked it off the strigil. ‘I need to tell you more of our story, about our real history and who we are.’

  ‘Can we have it now?’ Cheijun cried.

  ‘At bedtime,’ Sendatsu said. ‘Tell me about what you did today.’

  He made himself nod and smile as they babbled on about finding snails in the garden and collecting them. The burden of telling his people that they were not elves but humans hung heavy on him. Tomorrow would see elves and humans come closer together than before. That was enough for now. Perhaps it would happen naturally.

  He needed to sleep, yet he was afraid he would see the faces of the dead when he closed his eyes, although that would be better than seeing Hanto again. He dressed and went to eat with his family, not realising how hungry he was until he began to wolf down fish and rice.

  ‘Can we have that story now?’ Mai asked.

  With a start, he realised they had stopped talking and he was sitting there with chopsticks halfway to his mouth. Suddenly he was no longer hungry.

  ‘Of course.’ He dropped his food back into the bowl.

  He tried to remember where he had finished to make it understandable for them. He promised to give them more another day then joined them in bed, desperately hoping to sleep. But although every part of him ached, his mind would not stop replaying the battle and the many desperate fights. He could see the dragons dying, young men he had worked with and trained, falling to Forlish swords and spears, saw again the way he had sent Gareth to his death to buy a little more time, as well as Forlish attackers choking their last on the end of his blade. He could not take it any more and slipped out of bed, wondering if perhaps he could ask the servants if they had any rice wine.

  ‘Are you all right, my son?’ Noriko asked gently.

  Sendatsu pulled himself straighter. ‘I am fine, Mother.’

  ‘Come and talk to me.’

  ‘I need to go and talk to Huw, the leader of our human allies.’

  ‘Who is probably asleep. Talk to me.’

  Sendatsu unwillingly followed her into a reception room.

  ‘This is the second night you have tried to sleep with your children and failed,’ Noriko told him. ‘And don’t try to deny it, for I have seen you twice now. Tell me what is the matter.’

  Sendatsu chuckled humourlessly. ‘You don’t want to hear it.’

  Noriko stood abruptly and walked across to stand in front of him. As he looked up at her, she slapped him across the face.

  He jumped to his feet, standing a full head taller than her, while she was half his size. ‘What was that for?’

  ‘I am your mother. I have done little enough to help you these past twenty years but that does not mean I do not care, or haven’t been thinking of you.’ She took his hand and then sat down, forcing him to sit beside her.

  Sendatsu looked at her but she met his gaze squarely. He laughed, a short bark of sound. ‘If you want to know what is wrong, then here it is. But you cannot breathe a word of it to Father.’

  ‘This is just between us,’ Noriko promised.

  So he told her about the book he had found in the human lands, the way humans could do magic, that elves were no different to humans, except in the way they looked — and how he had killed Hanto to preserve the secrets and the alliance.

  ‘My son!’ Noriko exclaimed, hand flying to her mouth.

  Sendatsu smiled grimly. ‘So now you know. What do you say? Will you be able to sleep?’

  ‘You need to talk to your father.’

  ‘He will not understand. He plans to rule the humans. The last thing he wants to hear is that his dreams of elven superiority are based on lies.’

  ‘He is the Elder Elf,’ Noriko said. ‘He may not like it but he will accept the truth. Look what he did with the humans to save Dokuzen. Few others would have agreed to do that.’

  ‘It is one thing to accept help when there is no other choice. This will be too much for him.’

  ‘You need to give him the chance,’ Noriko insisted.

  ‘I don’t know! I can’t think!’ Sendatsu buried his head in his hands.

  Noriko’s arm went around his shoulder and drew him down into an embrace.

  ‘Sleep, my son. I shall watch over you.’

  Sendatsu settled down on the couch, feeling her small hand brush through his hair, the way he often did to his children.

  ‘No matter what happens, I love you, and Mai and Cheijun love you,’ she told him. ‘You do what you think is best. Don’t let guilt deprive you of sleep.’

  ‘I have to feel guilt — or I am like him,’ Sendatsu said sleepily.

  ‘Good — find your own way. But don’t let guilt rule your life either.’

  ‘What if I tell Father and he does not listen or, worse, turns on the humans? What if it all goes wrong?’ he asked.

  She stroked his face, seeing the small boy deep inside the man and the new lines etched into his familiar face. She watched his eyes close. ‘Then you must be our Sendatsu,’ she whispered, unsure if he heard it or not.

  ‘Are you ready for tomorrow?’ Jaken asked gently.

  Sumiko laughed. ‘Ready? This is what I have been working towards for all these years! The Magic-weavers have been ignored and humiliated for so long — and why? The reasons for us to be shunned and despised have been forgotten by all. It is time for us to take our rightful place in Dokuzen.’

  Jaken smiled. ‘Your help today saved Dokuzen. It will be the way back for you. Perhaps we should look at the old books from inside the forefathers’ tombs. The answer to why the Magic-weavers were outside society might be found there —’

  ‘No need,’ Sumiko interrupted. ‘It is not important to find out why. Making people accept the Magic-weavers, giving us the respect we deserve — that will be enough.’

  ‘It will not happen overnight. People’s attitudes will take time to break down — it will be the work of moons, even years.’

  ‘But you will tell the people to treat me like a clan leader?’

  ‘Of course! The Magic-weavers shall be the thirteenth clan, with a seat at the Council table from tomorrow, as we agreed.’

  ‘No thoughts of going back on your word?’

  Jaken chuckled. ‘Well, I am not Lord Retsu, who goes out of his way to tell everyone how he is the most honourable elf in Dokuzen, but why would I betray you? Apart from everything else, you gave me back my elfhood, when even the priests of Aroaril could not.’ He stroked her face gently. ‘At first we were using each other but, over the past couple of years, it has become more than that. As Elder Elf, I can do whatever I want and the people will follow. I spoke with my son before. As you know, he longs for Asami, your best Magic-weaver. I told him I would end the forced marriages among our people and then make the archbishop allow any who had been made to marry without love to set aside their wife or husband. I pretended it was for him, a reward for what he did to free us and overthrow Daichi, but I really did it for you. I shall set aside Noriko and then we can rule Dokuzen together.’

  ‘That is dangerous,’ Sumiko warned.

  ‘How do you mean?’

  ‘You have the power but it is not wise to make such a change so soon. You need to be sure of your support before moving. The most important thing is for you to make the people respect the Magic-weavers. You need everyone behind you if you still plan to march into the human lands.’

  ‘Oh, everyone is behind me.’ Jaken smiled. ‘I am the saviour of Dokuzen. The people cannot stop themselves falling over to thank me, even those from Daichi’s clan! And when we march out to make the Forlish pay for what they tried to do today, even my enemies will stand with me.’

  ‘Still …’

  Jaken shook his head. ‘My decision about marriage w
ill not lose us support — it will gain us support! There are few elves who think it a good thing.’ He paused for a moment. ‘Is this less about your concern for us and more about Asami and Sendatsu? Does that mean you have not forgotten what they did to you, siding with Daichi against us and then Asami coming into your home and attacking you? Because they are still important. He is finally showing signs of being my son while she is the most powerful Magic-weaver you have.’

  Sumiko waved him off. ‘I have spoken with Asami already. I understand they did what they think best and, of course, we would not be here without their actions over the last few days.’

  ‘Good. I would not wish that to spoil things. I shall speak to the archbishop.’

  ‘Do it quietly, before saying anything to the people. And not right away. Keep things simple for the people. We still need to keep ourselves secret, or some of the other clan leaders might start whispering that you are in the pocket of the Magic-weavers.’

  Jaken chuckled. ‘None will think that of me! Not of the gaijin slayer! If anything, they will think it the other way around!’

  ‘Yes, indeed,’ Sumiko said quietly.

  ‘I want the people to know about us. I am tired of hiding in shadows and meeting secretly. Tomorrow I shall end the forced marriages and speak to the archbishop. It is the perfect time, for the day will be a celebration, a new beginning for the elves!’

  Sumiko looked into his eyes. ‘I understand. You know, I wish my father could have seen this day, the Magic-weavers restored to their former glory. Do you remember meeting my father?’

  Jaken shook his head. ‘I don’t think I ever did. I am sure I saw him at a distance, at festivals, and of course he gave me the Test in magic. But I never spoke to him.’

  ‘Really? Not even a word?’

  ‘Not that I remember,’ Jaken replied. ‘Why?’

  Sumiko smiled again. ‘No reason. I thought you might have spoken to him, that is all.’

  ‘Sorry, I never did. But he would be proud of you.’

  ‘Oh yes,’ Sumiko agreed. ‘That he would. And he would have loved to see what will happen tomorrow!’

  36

  We have magic once more, so of course these Elfarans fear us. Again they have showed themselves to be liars and betrayers. We cannot trust anything they say or do. We must forget what we have been told and see them for what they are.

  Huw’s song

  The Council Chambers were packed, elves spilling outside and clustering thickly in the streets.

  Elves had flocked in not just from Dokuzen but from the north, wanting to celebrate their great victory over the gaijin hordes and honour Jaken, the saviour of Dokuzen. The press of people heaved and surged down the wide streets, armed guards trying to keep them in order. Gaibun and the warriors he had led on the battlefield the day before served as crowd control as the Council Guards were almost all south, still with the main elven army that was making its way back to Dokuzen. The lords were given an escort into the chamber, as were the Magic-weavers, Sendatsu and, most intriguingly to the gathered crowd, a group of hooded and cloaked figures. Gaibun and his warriors had to struggle to keep a passage open but the crowd was well behaved. Any orders were instantly obeyed and it was only the sheer number of people that caused problems. When the group of cloaked figures went past, everyone tried to see who they were — without luck. The crowd surged but Gaibun was equal to the task, shouting at the front row to stand fast until the group was safely inside.

  Once through the big doors, Huw pushed back his hood and opened the cloak.

  ‘Feels better to be in here,’ he said, a little shakily.

  ‘I don’t like being here at all,’ Rhiannon said.

  Asami walked over with a smile, just in time to hear her. ‘It won’t be like last time.’

  Cadel tossed back his hood. ‘What happened?’

  ‘It doesn’t matter. You are valued guests this time,’ Asami said.

  ‘Good thing. There’s a few too many elves out there for us to handle if they decide to throw us out,’ Bowen said.

  ‘That won’t happen,’ Sendatsu said, greeting them with a smile. ‘We have seats up the front but keep your hoods up until my father introduces you.’

  He had slept well last night; several times he had stirred with the fear from the battle coming out in his dreams, yet a gentle hand had stroked his hair and a calm voice had soothed him back to sleep. Of course, his children had rushed in to wake him not long after dawn but he was rested and looking at his parents in a new light. First his father was embracing him, next his mother was watching over him at night.

  ‘What are you thinking?’ Asami asked.

  ‘Just about my mother.’ He smiled.

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes.’ He let the others get slightly ahead. ‘What about us?’

  Asami rolled her eyes. ‘I have Gaibun also wanting to know exactly what our relationship is. Do you care about me, or about making yourself look better over Gaibun?’

  ‘You! Don’t tell me you believe his story that I am doing all this for Rhiannon?’

  ‘No, I accept Gaibun has been careful with the truth.’

  ‘So we should be together? Come with me into the human lands and we can help create a new world, change everything around us.’

  ‘Well, unless your father comes out and announces that all rules of life are overturned and marriages are no longer recognised before Aroaril, I don’t see how things will change. Gaibun will not let us leave together.’

  She brushed past him but he grabbed her arm.

  ‘What if I was to tell you that is exactly what my father will say?’ he murmured.

  ‘What?’ Asami spat. ‘If this is a joke —’

  ‘No joke. He spoke to me yesterday, promised me. He says he would not be Elder Elf without us and wants to reward us both. He will end forced marriages. We shall be able to marry!’

  Asami stared at him. ‘Gaibun —’ she said.

  ‘He cannot go against the archbishop and the Elder Elf. He will be free to marry whoever he loves.’

  ‘He loves me. He would have meant the vows he spoke before Aroaril.’

  ‘But your half of the vow meant nothing, which means you are free!’

  ‘I will not be free of Gaibun that easily. Neither of us will. Not here.’

  ‘Then out in the human world, as I have been saying.’

  Asami was about to reply when she caught sight of Gaibun looming in the doorway, glaring.

  ‘Let us hear what your father says before we get our hopes up?’ she pleaded.

  Angry words, hurt words, crowded into Sendatsu’s mouth but he managed to swallow them down. ‘All right,’ he said reluctantly and followed her into the chamber.

  A pair of elves were guarding the last bench in the chamber, right at the front. Every other bench was packed full of elves, the cream of Dokuzen’s nobility crammed tightly in like so many esemono.

  ‘Thank Aroaril you got here. We have had a dozen nobles threatening we would be banished if we did not let them sit there and it was only Lord Jaken’s name that protected it,’ one of the sweating elves grumbled.

  ‘Your work is done,’ Sendatsu told them, gesturing for Huw, Rhiannon and the others to take a seat.

  He squeezed onto the bench and looked across the chamber, to where Sumiko glowered at them from a similarly positioned bench, flanked by Magic-weavers.

  ‘Why do you think Sumiko is glaring at us like that?’ Sendatsu whispered to Asami.

  She glanced across the room and then gulped.

  ‘I have not spoken to her yet about yesterday and the things Rhiannon said to her.’

  ‘Perhaps you should go over there now, judging by the expression on her face.’

  ‘You worry too much. She rarely looks happy. Why would she threaten everything she is about to get by starting a fight with us? After all, you are the son of the Elder Elf. Besides, she worked with us all yesterday against the Forlish. I shall speak to her afterwards and all will
be well.’ She too was disturbed by the way Sumiko was staring at her but was sure her old sensei would relax when she knew both Asami and Rhiannon would be leaving Dokuzen.

  ‘What can you say to her that will stop that glare?’ Sendatsu muttered. ‘And her mouth looks like a cat’s backside.’

  Asami snorted with laughter and had to turn her head towards Sendatsu to hide it. ‘Since when have you been looking at cats’ backsides?’ She poked him on the arm.

  ‘There’s all sorts of treats like that in the human world. Mai and Cheijun call it the land of poo.’

  ‘You make it sound so attractive.’

  ‘Still, at least their cooking is better than yours, so it can’t be all bad.’ He nudged her.

  ‘Will you ever stop making jokes about my cooking?’

  He grinned. ‘Perhaps when you learn how to do it properly.’

  She hit him on the arm again and he grabbed her hand.

  ‘Let go or I shall be forced to use magic on you,’ she threatened with a smile.

  He tightened his grasp. ‘Whatever you do to me can’t be any worse than having to eat one of your meals.’

  ‘That’s it!’ Asami drew back her free hand and opened her mouth, only to close it with a snap as she saw Gaibun hurrying across the chamber to join them.

  Sendatsu stopped laughing and let go of her hand as Gaibun glowered down at them.

  ‘Shouldn’t you be out there, watching the crowd?’ Sendatsu asked.

  ‘We’re using Magic-weavers so that all the people outside can hear what is going on,’ he said. ‘That’s calmed them down a little. I wanted to hear what was said. After all, we were the ones who made it happen, not to mention how we held the line against the Forlish.’

  He looked at Sendatsu and Asami sitting together.

  ‘Are you going to move over and let me sit down?’

  Sendatsu instinctively shuffled across to be closer to Asami, leaving a space at the end but Gaibun glared at him.

  ‘I would rather sit next to my wife.’

  ‘She can sit next to whoever she wants,’ Sendatsu said.